


Infinite Playlist

by tennis_mum



Category: Killing Eve (TV 2018)
Genre: Eventual Smut, F/F, Fluff, Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist au, Slow Burn, hipster angst, soft villaneve
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-08
Updated: 2020-12-30
Packaged: 2021-03-10 02:53:36
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 19,615
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27957191
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tennis_mum/pseuds/tennis_mum
Summary: She walks over to the bar and immediately sees her bass player crush from earlier. She approaches her hurriedly, before she has a chance to change her sober mind.“Hey, would you be my girlfriend for five minutes?”The woman almost chokes on her gin and tonic.“What?” Her cheeks now imbued in red.ORThe Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist au no one was asking for.
Relationships: Eve Polastri/Villanelle | Oksana Astankova
Comments: 76
Kudos: 340





	1. Would you be my girlfriend for five minutes?

On Fridays, Villanelle would meet with Hugo for lunch.

“… and she was all, you walk in late again, don’t bother walking into my class at all!” Hugo remarks.

Villanelle smirks, “What did you say in response,” Hugo opens his mouth, but before he can say anything Villanelle cuts him off, “Please don’t tell me you propositioned her.”

“She so wants me,” The two laugh.

Villanelle had recently left her uncle’s company. She had tried her hardest to enjoy his line of work, but in the end it was not for her. The obvious next move was to re-enrol into university. The not-so obvious part was deciding on a major. So she basically enrolled into every broadening unit possible with the hopes of finding something to major in.

Villanelle spots someone heading towards their table. “Ugh, is he really coming over here?”

“Shh, keep your voice down. He’s not that bad,”

“Thought I’d find you two here!”

“Niko, take a seat, mate,” Hugo pulls out a chair for him.

Hugo can feel Villanelle’s stare and refuses to look her way.

Villanelle had met both Hugo and Niko when they were all grouped together for a human biology group assignment. Villanelle immediately hit it off with Hugo, finding that his sense of humour was similar to hers. However, there was always something about Niko that Villanelle just did not _gel_ with.

Moments pass before Villanelle decides to tune into the conversation.

“Did you hear, Fangtastic are playing in the city tonight?” Niko shares excitedly.

Villanelle sighs, “They’re called _Tangfastic_.”

_Can you believe this guy?_

“Yeah, Tangfastic, that’s what I said,” Villanelle wanted to slap the smirk off his face. He was definitely one of those guys who pretended like they knew what’s what, when in reality they had no clue whatsoever.

Hugo interjects, feeling the intensity building, “… anywho, I heard they’re playing a surprise show… most likely Mojo’s, since that’s where they did their last one – but they never play til after hours so me and Vil were thinking of heading into The Bird for a bit of pre-game action.”

“Sounds cool,” Niko responds. Villanelle giving him the fakest smile she can muster his way. “On that note, I better head to my next class – who knew I’d be so behind after only two months in?” Niko chuckles to himself.

As Niko stands, he picks up his jacket he’d thrown across the table carelessly. A mix CD falls out of his jacket pocket.

“Ugh, not another one,” Niko sighs, wearing a shade of disgust on his face. “How does she manage to sneak these into my jacket EVERYTIME?” Niko is genuinely confused. Before Niko leaves he chucks the CD into the trash. “See y’all tonight.”  
  
“Bye,” Hugo waves.  
  
Villanelle runs over to the bin to collect the CD Niko had recklessly thrown away.  
  


“Do you know what this is?” A hint of excitement radiated from Villanelle’s voice as she runs back to their table.

“Oh no…” Hugo knew exactly what it was, “You gotta stop collecting those.”

Villanelle places the mix CD at her chest, “This Eve girl has really great taste in music,” Hugo shakes his head, “… honestly, she’s like my musical soulmate! I can’t believe a woman who listens to Alvvays, New Order AND The Pastels could date a guy like Niko…”

“What is it about him that you dislike? He’s not… THAT bad…”

Villanelle grunts, “The only reason you like him is because you two get to talk about banging chicks.”

Hugo smirks, “We do have great banter. But hey, when you decide you want to talk to me about banging chicks I’m more than happy to drop him.”

“In your dreams.”

“Indeed, promise you’ll play nice tonight?”

“I can’t make such promises,” Villanelle’s gaze is stuck on the beautiful artwork etched onto mix CD #12. Eve had used pastel colour markers to create an avant-garde image involving some swirly patterns. Villanelle wished someday someone would make her a mixed CD of this caliber.

~

“Woo!” The first thing Villanelle hears when walking into The Bird is the sound of Hugo screaming. Followed by him downing a vodka shot.

_Typical._

Villanelle walks over to him and his new lady friend.

“Ah, look who decided to _finally_ show up. Vil, this is Amanda, Amanda meet Vil.”

The two women exchange pleasantries.

Villanelle shouts to Hugo, “I’m going to check out the band!”

Hugo nods and begins making out with Amanda, who does not seem to mind that Amanda is currently chewing on a piece of gum.

Villanelle makes her way towards the stage. Enjoying the strangely upbeat new-wave/shoegaze tunes. As she finds herself center of the crowd, Villanelle cannot seem to take her eyes off the bass player.

_Who is she?_

She appears to be in her late thirties, Asian ( _possibly Korean?)_ and has amazing dark, curly hair. She is dressed in a black camisole top tucked into deep grey high-waisted business pants. Villanelle was in awe – taking in her presence on stage was an ethereal experience.

She was entranced, so entranced that she did not realize their set had just finished and the crowd was beginning to disperse. Standing alone, staring at this woman – Villanelle felt a flush of awkwardness and decided to head back to Hugo. But before she could…

“Villanelle, nice to see you,” That voice…

“Nikkooo… fancy seeing you here,” Villanelle looks away and sends an eye roll in Hugo’s direction, who is too busy in his make-out sesh to notice.

“I know, what are the odds…”

“Poor.”

Niko stifles an awkward laugh. “Oh, have you met my new girlfriend, Gemma?”

“No… hi?” _Another woman already. How does he date so many women?_

“Hi,” Gemma chirps in her high-pitched voice.

“… so are you out here alone, again?” Niko says all sassy.

“No of course not…”

“Gemma here has a lot of friends… I’m sure she could set you up with someone…”

“Oh, there’s really no need.”

“Hey, I guess Mr. Vasiliev’s niece doesn’t have to worry about using her body to get a girl, right?” his comment hurt a lot more than it should have. It made her doubt herself. It made her feel self-conscious of her appearance. She needed to give him a whiff of confident Villanelle.

“I’m with someone tonight…”

“Oh really, who?”

“My girlfriend…” Villanelle knew this was a bad lie immediately. But she could not turn up to another one of these gigs alone. AND to be sassed by Niko. So she thought quickly on her feet.

“Oh,” Niko is surprised, “Where is she?” At this point, he only half believes her.

“Uh… over there,” Villanelle waves her arm awkwardly behind her, “I shall go to her now…” Villanelle turns and walks.

_Shit, shit, shit. Where can I find a pretend girlfriend?_

She walks over to the bar and immediately sees her bass player crush from earlier. She approaches her hurriedly, before she has a chance to change her sober mind.

“Hey, would you be my girlfriend for five minutes?”

The woman almost chokes on her gin and tonic.

“What?” Her cheeks now imbued in red.

Villanelle looks back at Niko, who almost looks like he is cracking a smirk.

_Maybe she didn’t hear me,_ so the question is repeated. “Would you be my girlfriend for five minutes?” Villanelle lets out a short breath and smiles awkwardly.

“Uh…”

As she places her drink down, the two women lock eyes and are immediately in each other’s personal space. Villanelle must take her chance now, before she chickens out on this lie and before this pretty bass player decides to pour her drink in her face.

“Please, just go with it,” she says in an almost whisper.

Feeling hot breath against her lips, Villanelle closes her eyes and plants a soft kiss on the bass player’s mouth. To Villanelle, time felt like it had definitely slow downed and come to a halt. The kiss felt nice, soft and _hot_. And more importantly, the kiss was reciprocated. Nearing the end of the kiss, Villanelle opened her eyes and to her surprise this woman has her eyes closed. Villanelle smiles into the kiss. As their mouths leave each other’s orbit, the two women are left staring at each other again.

“Wow,” Villanelle cannot help but lift the corners of her mouth into a smile. Her happiness is, of course, immediately ruined.  
  
“EVE! VILLANELLE! How do you guys… uh… know each other?”

_Ha! I showed him._ Villanelle is definitely winning. She knew Niko’s smirk would have been washed away after that kiss.

“Oh…” Eve stammers.

Villanelle glances towards Eve, “We go to the same…”

And together they both say, “gynaecologist.”

“Oh…” Niko says short.

“Yeah… Dr. Shee… Sheera,” Villanelle adds.

“Right… I have to uh… go now,” Niko takes Gemma’s hand and walks away.

“Wait, did you get my mix CD?” Eve shouts, but Niko had hurried along already.

Then it all suddenly clicks for Villanelle.

“Wait… you’re Niko’s Eve?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, so this is my first ever fanfic. Thought i'd try and amalgamate my love of music and KE.
> 
> Let me know what y'all think ! 
> 
> Also, I've never been to the UK before - so all the venues listed are just local venues that my band have played in. 
> 
> Tangfastic are a fictional band. 
> 
> I've pretty much finished writing this au, so updates will be every couple of days!


	2. Fistful of Assholes

Eve joins her two band mates, Bill and Elena, over at the bar after packing up her gear.

“So, what’d you think of the set?” Bill asks in-between sipping his beer.

Bill was the one who insisted that they start a band. After a sloppy post-work drinks turned karaoke night, Bill discovered Elena could sing any Disney song without fault. So he elected her to be on main vocals and guitar. He knew Eve had played some classical guitar in high school, so it would be an easy transition to bass. And seamlessly, the band was formed.

“I think the crowd vibed us tonight,” Eve picks up the gin and tonic Elena had ordered her in advance. Her drinking habits were really predictable.

Elena gasps, “They more then vibed us! Did you see that one blonde lady in the crowd, she was practically _eye fucking_ you during the whole set!?”

That gets Eve spilling her drink onto herself.

“WHAT! No?” Eve is going to play dumb.

_Of course I noticed her, but I won’t admit it_.

“Ahh, I remember her distinctly – as a drummer, I do have the best seat in the house. That woman wanted you,” Bill confirms with a smirk on his face.

“Shut up, no she didn’t.”

It had been 32 days, 15 hours, 40 seconds when Niko had broken up with Eve. To this day, she is still confused as to why he had left her. They had been dating for a full year and without warning, he ended things over the phone.

Elena adds, “You should definitely talk to her, Eve. It’s about time you got back out there.”

Eve shakes her head, “I feel like I haven’t dated in ages,” she is right, she has not, “… like what would I even say to someone like her…”

Eve trails off when suddenly the blonde they had been talking about appears right in front of her.

“Hey, would you be my girlfriend for five minutes?”

Eve can feel her gin and tonic flowing down the incorrect tube and almost chokes on it. She glances at Bill and Elena. Bill has his eye brows raised as high as the ceiling, whilst Elena has her mouth open in disbelief.

This blonde woman has a very poignant European accent, _Russian?_ Eve thinks. Her long soft hair draped on either side of her shoulders, face glowing. Eve appreciates her outfit too, a white loose blouse underneath an oversized grey powersuit. A bit dramatic, but just the right amount. Eve does not have much time to think before this woman is planting a kiss on her lips. At first her eyes remain open, like her body is still catching up with what is happening. But within a second she settles into the kiss – and it was everything she needed at that point.

~

“Wait… you’re Niko’s Eve?”

Eve’s eyes trail back to the blonde standing in front of her.

“Uh… yeah, I guess so? What have you heard?” A silence permeates between the two ladies, “…good things I hope…”

The blonde woman looks as if she has seen a ghost.

“I… I-can’t believe you’re… her…” her eyes dart around the room, like she is looking for someone or something.

“I’m Eve Park,” Eve extends a hand in front of the blonde.

“Villanelle,” she grabs ahold of Eve’s hand and the two lock eyes.

“One name, I like it,”

_Fuck_ , is where Eve’s mind lands. She just saw Niko. Niko just saw her. Niko saw her kissing another person. _Fuck._ This beautiful blonde lady just kissed her. _Fuck._ _She has nice hazel-green eyes. Shit._

Villanelle lets out a small smile. But it seems as though the wheels in her mind are already in motion, and the woman who was once focused and alert has now faded away.

“You’re Eve,” Eve liked the way her name reverberated from her lips. “Niko’s Eve…” It looked as though Villanelle was in amidst her own panic, “Uh… I need to go,” she begins to walk off.

Eve looks over at her friends for support who seem to be shooing her off in the blonde’s direction.   
  
“Go!” Bill and Elena say in unison.

With the words of courage from her two closest friends – she’s off chasing the woman who had just kissed her.   
  
“Wait!”

Villanelle stops and turns, eyes wide.

“Are you going to tell me what happened back there? How do you know Niko?”

“Oh, uh… we have a class together… how do you know Niko?” Villanelle knows the answer. Mainly trying to avert attention away from why she randomly kissed Eve.

Eve nods, “We, um… we dated for a bit.” Eve lets out a sigh.

Eve wanted to ask Villanelle more questions about Niko, like what has he been doing, who has he been dating, and does he talk about her. But she will attempt that conversation at a later point, when Villanelle is not looking so uneasy.

“Did you like our set?” Eve desperate to change the subject at this point.

“You were amazing… uh… your band was amazing,” Villanelle gushes. A hint of red beginning to flush against her cheeks. “What’s your band called by the way?”

Eve grinned, taking in the compliment. Then feels slight embarrassment at having to share her band name, “So… I didn’t actually name our band, so don’t hold me to this…” Villanelle stares at her, taking in every word, “we’re called _Fistful of Assholes_.”

Villanelle can’t help but laugh. She tips her head back and places a hand over her mouth. “FISTFUL OF ASSHOLES! I love it.”

Eve laughs with her.

Suddenly the air between the two ladies felt light.

“Who came up with the name?”

“It was Bill, our drummer. He practically insisted that was the name we should go with. It was either that or _The Jerk Offs_ … so…”

“Also a great name… was that a 60’s Fender mustang bass you were playing?”

Eve is impressed, “Yeah… do you play?” She had picked that bass for the shorter neck and light body. The pastel surf-green colour was an added bonus.

“No, no. I just know a good instrument when I see one,” Villanelle’s eyes dart quickly from Eve’s lips to her eyes. If Eve did not know any better, this woman was clearly flirting with her. Before Eve can muster up a response, Bill and Elena run up to either side of them.

“Oh my gosh! I just got a text saying Tangfastic are going to be at The Rosemount in an hour!” The excitement pours out of Elena.

“Shut up!” Eve, practically yelling.

“I thought they were supposed to be playing at Mojo’s tonight?” Villanelle jumps in.

“I’ve got a bouncer friend over there, and he says he definitely saw their gear being placed around back!”

Tangfastic are that band that will organize a surprise show and never release any online information regarding the time and place of said gig. It is up to the fans to decipher their exact location on the night – which adds to the fun of the show.

In Eve’s periphery, she can see Niko standing there. Clearly eavesdropping on their conversation.

“Well, what are we waiting for then?” Villanelle exclaimed, “I’m Villanelle by the way,” Introducing herself to Bill and Elena because clearly Eve had forgotten common pleasantries when Niko caught her periphery.

“Bill.”

“Elena.”

“Alright, we’re just going to pack up our gear. But we’ll see you there?” Bill states.

“Ok,” Villanelle responds. And just like that, it is Eve and Villanelle standing alone together.

“Are you excited?” Villanelle says, as she bounces up and down.

Niko walks away. Eve’s eyes trail from him back to Villanelle, “Uh… yeah! I just need to grab my bass, but I’ll meet you outside?”

“Ok, see you soon,”

“See you soon.”

Villanelle rushes off excitedly.

~

“Shit, what do I do? Niko is here with someone. And that random lady kisses me. Ugh!” Eve whines to her best friends, in the middle of collecting their gear backstage.

Bill and Elena exchange knowing glances, nudging the other to speak first.

“Look Eve, forget about Niko. He has clearly moved on. And I think it’s about time you did too,” Elena says as she slings her guitar across her back.

“But he was clearly here tonight to see us, to see me play… maybe he regrets breaking up…”

Elena glances back at Bill, indicating he should say something next.

“Eve, darling. Niko is not worth it ok. What ass breaks up with his girlfriend on their one year anniversary?” Before Eve can say anything, Bill continues, “A dickswab, that’s who. Now – there’s a beautiful, twenty-something year old blonde out there who seems pretty keen on you. I say, we go to the Tangfastic show with _her_ and see where the night takes us. How does that sound?”

Eve has no words. She always gets called out by Bill.

“Alright, then lets go see the best band in London.” Elena cheers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I meant to upload this chapter last night with chapter 1, but I fell asleep. So here it is. 
> 
> Also thank you to everyone who read the previous chapter and leaving nice comments !


	3. Sexy Yugo driver

Villanelle rushed over to a now lonesome Hugo.

“I know where Tangfastic are playing tonight!”

“No shit… where?!” speech a little slurred.

“The Rosemount, in an hour!” Villanelle notices the absence of Amanda, “Where’s your new lady friend?”

Hugo blinks slowly, “Oh… she, had to go…” Hugo begins to chew on a piece of gum, “wait… what happened over there,” All Villanelle can muster up is a smile, “you sly dog, you were making out with some older woman!?”

_What, how did Hugo see that?_

“You’re wondering how I saw that huh? My Vil-dar went off,” Hugo smirks, “good for you.”

“I don’t know…”

  
  
“What’s the problem, you’re hot, she’s hot?” Hugo raises both of his arms in emphasis.

“and she’s Niko’s ex…”

“Oh… OH! Sexy bass player ex! You sly dog,” Hugo winks at her.

Somehow, talking to Hugo alleviated Villanelle’s panic.

“Are you sure you’re ok?”

“Yeah I’m fine…” Hugo burps, “Ok, maybe that fourth shot of vodka was a bad idea… or was it six?”

Villanelle shakes her head not surprised, _of course he’s already wasted._

“What do I do? I’m supposed to meet her outside in a minute to go see Tangfastic with her and the band… but, I’m not doing anything wrong right? Niko is not my friend.”

“The way I see it, he’s moved on. You’ve been pining over this woman for a month,” Villanelle opens her mouth to say something before she’s cut off by drunken words, “Did you not s-s-say she’s your musical soulmate earlier today? So I say… go for it. That kiss looked hot-as-fuck, I think she likes you… And plus, you haven’t hooked up with anyone for monthhsssss.”

It is true. Villanelle was always in a constant on-again off-again relationship with Nadia. But she swore to herself that she would not allow herself to get back together with her.

Even when drunk, Hugo made some pretty convincing points.

“Ok… it’s going to be amazing.”

~

Hugo has his arm draped over Villanelle’s shoulder as he uses her as some sort of crutch so that he does not topple over. Villanelle scans the crowd looking for Eve. The coldness outside hits her immediately as she watches her breath linger in the air.

Villanelle cannot believe her luck. Of all the women she _could have_ kissed at the bar. She had to pick _her_. Almost as if there was some sort of pull towards _her_ , almost as if it were fate that they were meant to meet right then and there. _Fate_. Definitely.

“Hey,” Eve walks over with her bass in her hand.

“Hi, Eve,” she smiles, goofily.

Villanelle scans Eve’s body. The pretty bass player now has her denim jacket on, which Villanelle absolutely adores.

Bill, Elena and an awkward looking man approach next to Eve.

“This is Kenny, met him inside. He’s also a huge Tang fan.” Elena adds as she wraps her arm around his waist.

“… Hi…” Kenny half waves.

“HI!” Hugo lets go of Villanelle’s shoulder and topples to the ground. _Idiot._

Kenny and Villanelle help Hugo back up.

“Someone’s had a few?” Bill smirks.

“Will he be alright?” Eve asks, concern plastered on her face.

Villanelle scans Hugo.

_He is not alright._

“I think I should take him home,” Villanelle says with a pout.

“WHAT! NO! I am absolutely fine!” Hugo says, mid dry heave.

“You’re clearly not fine…” _Ugh,_ “…I’ll get an uber for us,” Villanelle grabs her phone out of her pocket.

“Hang on, where does he live?” Elena interjects.

Villanelle directs her attention to the bubbly woman.

“Just past Kings Cross.”

“Perfect, we have room for just one more in our van – we can take him home and then head to the gig. Villanelle, you can go in Eve’s Yugo,” Elena suggests. Eve looks almost frozen in her stance, eyeballing Elena. Eve’s face screamed ‘what-the-fuck-you-could’ve-consulted-me-about-this-first.’ To which Elena responds by casually side glancing Eve, with a hint of a smile creasing the edges of her mouth.

_I like this Elena woman,_ Villanelle thinks this might actually work.

“You cool with that plan?” Villanelle looks at Hugo who musters a thumbs up.

“Cool, we’ll see you lot there then,” Elena unlocks her pink van, placing their gear in the car.

“Ha, Yugo rhymes with Hugo,” Hugo is basically being dragged into the van, “Love you Vil!”

Villanelle waves at him.

“He’s ok with them, yeah?”

“I can’t speak for Kenny, but Bill and Elena are the biggest softies I know.”

“So… a Yugo?” Villanelle rasies an eyebrow, checking out the rare yellow vehicle. “Are you sure that’s safe, you wouldn’t be putting my life in any danger would you?”

Eve gasps, “This is only the finest automobile known to human! You need to apologize to her right now.”

Villanelle pouts, “Will she get upset if I don’t?”

“Yep, she might even start leaking oil or worse, refuse to start.”

“Oh,” Villanelle walks up to the Yugo and caresses her, “Sorry for being disrespectful.”

Eve chuckles “She says thank you.”

Eve unlocks the car. It was a three door Yugo, so Eve had to push her front seat forward in order to access the backseat of the car. Villanelle silently watched Eve struggle to fit her bass in. A bit like watching a real life game of Tetris unfold in front of her.

“Get, in, there,” Eve forcefully pushes her bass to fit. Curls bouncing in front of her face as she does so. The bass somehow fits in a strange diagonal angle, with the head of the bass slightly scraping the drivers seat. She lets out a breath and pushes her messy curls out of her face. She then realizes Villanelle had been staring at her the whole time. “Um… sorry you had to witness that…” Luckily the cold air hid Eve’s blushing cheeks.

Villanelle shakes her head, “That poor bass, you owe her an apology.”

“Shut up, get in.”

_Cool and sassy?_ Villanelle grinned at that thought.

She walks around to the passenger side, and the two ladies get into the Yugo simultaneously.

Villanelle takes in the smell of the car. It reeks of pizza, beer and air freshener all at once. It is intoxicating to Villanelle. Ok, the car could be a bit tidier, but _it was so Eve._

Eve turns her keys in the ignition and the engine struggles to start. She tries a second, a third time with no luck.

“Hmm, do I need to apologize to the car again?”

“Just give me one sec, she just needs a little t-l-c,”

“Like your poor bass,” Villanelle teases.

Eve grunts, ignoring her comment, and tries a fourth time, “come on…” and with some strange luck the engine starts. “See, she did accept your apology.”

“It came from the heart.”

The two ladies laugh. Once Eve pulls onto the road, she turns her CD player on. ‘Dreams Never Die’ by New Order begins to play.

“I love this song,” Villanelle states.

“Me too.”

“Ok, what’s your favourite New Order album?”

“That’s an easy one, ‘Power, Corruption & Lies.’”

“Why is that?”

Eve runs a hand through her wild curls. Villanelle wished she could run her hands through it herself.  
  


“I don’t know, I guess I always preferred them when they were known as a guitar-rock band as opposed to an electro-pop band, if that makes sense?”

“Ohhh, you’re one of those,” Villanelle smirks.

“What?”

“You’re like a New Order snob.”

“What! Take that back! I am not!”

Villanelle uses a posh-british accent, “I liked New Order when they were cool and used real instruments and stuff.”

Eve breaks into laughter. “Oh-my-god. Please don’t use that accent on me again.”

“Only if you admit ‘Substance’ is a pretty good album too,” Villanelle points a finger at Eve.

Eve shakes her head, not wanting to admit submission. “Nope, next song now.”

‘He’s On The Beach’ by Kirsty MacColl starts playing.

_Another banger,_ Villanelle acknowledges. Living up to her musical soulmate theory.

“Wooow… So, what else does Miss Eve do other than listen to incredibly cool music and play in a band?”

“Hmm, what do you wanna know?” Eve’s hands grip the steering wheel tighter.

Villanelle shrugs her shoulders. She wants to know more, she wants to know _everything._

“Anything?”

“Ok, um… let’s see… I’m a registered nurse working in operating theatres… funnily, that’s how I met Bill and Elena – and I was born here but lived in America up until my teens, hence the accent, and when my parents divorced I followed my dad back to London… and this is, was his car by the way” Eve is speed talking at this point, “… he’s not dead or anything, he just upgraded cars, and I always loved this car… so I drive it now…”

_She is amazing_.

Villanelle liked how Eve was actually just as awkward as she was.

There was a lot to take in. Villanelle did not know where to begin.

“Oh… so sexy nurse during the day, sexy bass player at night?” Humour with a hint of flirtation is where Villanelle chose to land.

Shit, _am I being too forward?_

There is a slight pause following the comment. Villanelle cannot bear to look at Eve and just stares at the traffic ahead.

A hot second later, “You forgot sexy Yugo driver,” 

Villanelle gasps, “How silly of me,” She is relieved the conversation did not fall into a lull of awkwardness. Because it easily could have. Villanelle enjoyed Eve’s sense of humour.

Just as the track finishes, Eve’s voice screeches over the speakers, “So that’s it Niko, that’s the breakup mix! Twelve songs from my broken heart…” Eve quickly fumbles over her CD player to turn off or skip the song. Either option was fine for Eve.

The track stops and the ladies are left sitting in the Yugo in an awkward silence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’ve basically given Eve my occupation. 
> 
> Power, Corruption & Lies is god tier. 
> 
> Thanks for reading !


	4. Do you wanna dance?

Eve clears her throat in an attempt to make the situation less awkward in the Yugo.

She had completely forgotten that she had recorded that message, whilst drunk on a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon, and actually GAVE Niko that mix. Eve always made a copy of each of the mixes she would give to Niko. He used to comment on how he loved Eve’s taste in music and had gone to every one of Eve’s shows. So Eve thought the way back into Niko’s heart would be to make these mixes – and to keep making them until she could at least have a normal conversation with him.

“You know, mix six was your finest work,” Villanelle finally breaks the silence.

“Wait, what?”

_How does she know about these mixes?_

“So I have a confession…”

“Go on…”

“Every week in class, with Niko, he always finds one of your mix CD’s in amongst his belongings… and he always… leaves them behind… so I have sort of been collecting a few, and listening to them…”

_A few…_

“I have maybe seven…” she pauses to do some mental math, “yes I have seven of them.”

Eve has no words. This whole time she thought Niko was listening to her carefully made playlists and appreciating the time and effort placed on the artwork. But no, Bill was right. He IS a _dickswab_.

“Eve…?”

Eve is still processing.

She can feel anger bubbling at the surface. An emotion she did not want to correlate with Niko, but she often found herself tirelessly angry at him on a regular basis.

“THAT LITTLE WEASEL!” Eve hits the steering wheel, “I’m sorry… I just thought he was actually appreciating something I did, for once…” Her chest was starting to feel tight.

The car approaches a red light.

“… I feel… I feel so stupid,” Eve fights back a tear.

“He doesn’t deserve you, Eve. These mixes are amazing! Because of you, I discovered Alvvays, Best Coast and…” Their eyes meet and Villanelle grazes Eve’s hand with her long delicate fingers on the gearstick, letting them rest on top of Eve’s. “… you made me _feel_ something.”

The touch sends a warmth throughout Eve’s body. A feeling she had been lacking as of late. Eve can feel the weight in her chest easing. She exhales a deep breath she did not realize she had been holding in.

There is something intimate about listening to a personal playlist. No two people would ever group the same exact set of songs in a playlist. The dedication to detail for trying to set a certain mood was an intimate experience. Eve knew this, so did Villanelle. The countless hours spent trying to decide on the track order alone can make one’s mind spin into a cacophony of madness.

Mix six is actually Eve’s personal favourite too. She did not know what that meant, but there was a definite connection there. It was a shared feeling that, even though having only met on this night, there was an immediate comfortableness and unspoken trust with one another.

_She is sweet,_ Eve thinks. She appreciates that someone had listened to her mixes.

The sound of a loud car horn stops Eve’s current thoughts and jolts her back into reality. Seeing the light on green, Eve speeds off leaving a tire mark on the road.

“Thank you.”

“For what, Eve?”

“For listening,” Eve smiles as her eyes stay on the road ahead.

“Anytime… do you take requests?”

~

As they approach the entrance of The Rosemount, Eve notices the long queue of people waiting to get in. _Figures._ Eve, ready to stand in line, notices Villanelle walk straight in.

“Come on, Eve,” Villanelle waves an arm in her direction. “She’s with me,” Villanelle winks at the bouncer.

Eve musters an awkward smile at the bouncer and at the queue of people waiting, and follows Villanelle’s lead.

“I wonder if Bill and Elena have arrived, I’ll send them a text.”

“Ok.” Villanelle slides her hands into her pockets as she scours the crowd, waiting for Eve to finish texting.

“Do you want a drink?” Eve states as she pockets her phone. Only realizing now that she had not seen Villanelle paired with a drink all night.

“No I’m good, I don’t really drink that much… Usually when I go out to gigs I like to be present in the moment and really absorb the show. Otherwise what’s the point?”

Eve nods, agreeing with Villanelle.

“I totally get it… I usually like to have one during our set, just to alleviate some nerves when I’m on stage – sort of like the liquid courage version of ‘picture everyone in the crowd naked.’ But if I have any more than that, my playing gets a bit sloppy. I get sloppy.”

“Oh, now I’m intrigued.” Villanelle pretends to yell out to the bartender, “barkeep, bring me multiple gin and tonics please!”

“Shh!” Eve places a finger to her lips, draping her hand lightly over Villanelle’s shoulder.

Eve was surprised that Villanelle knew her drink order. She must have picked up on the taste from when they shared their kiss.

“I want to see sloppy Eve!” She pouts.

Eve removes her hand from Villanelle’s shoulder and laughs, “If you play your cards right…”

Villanelle gives Eve a seductive smile. Eve retaliates into slight awkwardness, quickly changing the subject.

“Did I mention how much I love the Tangs?”

Villanelle raises an eyebrow, “No, how much do you love them?”

Eve stretches out her arms as wide as they will go, “About this much.”

“They’re basically my favourite band ever!”

“Mine too!” Eve gushes, “I was meant to see them last year at The Rechabite, but then last minute they did the old bait and switch and The Sour Bears started playing instead.”

“Oh no! Not the old bait and switch!”

“I was so close.”

The two ladies have now migrated over to the dance floor. Eve looks around the room (mainly at the ground), whilst Villanelle robotically sways her shoulders (eyes also not meeting Eve’s).

“Hey, it’s my song,” Eve points at the ceiling.

Erasure’s ‘A Little Respect’ blasts through the bar.

“No way, it’s my shower song!”

“Me and Elena blast this song in theatres all the time.”

“Trying to send a message to the surgeons…?”

“They never seem to get the hint,” Eve pauses for a moment as she looks around the room, “… Do you wanna dance?” She suggests.

Eve was semi-regretting the question when she did not receive an immediate response. _Oh shit, what if she says no._

Villanelle’s eyes widen, panic mode settling in, “Dancing’s not my thing.”

  
  
“Come on, it’s easy. Everyone can do it!” Eve finds the courage to grab both of Villanelle’s hands and lets them hang in the space between them. The touch created a similar feel as the car ride earlier. Eve smiles haphazardly and begins to push their arms forwards and backwards.

Eve takes note of how clammy Villanelle’s hands were feeling.

_Is she nervous?_

“What do you call this dance move?” Villanelle laughs.

“Uh… it’s the aerofit dance,” Eve remembers her mum buying an aerofit walker when she was younger. Sucked in by the promise of losing a few pounds. _Lies_.

“My uncle had one of those!”

“No way, my mum had one!”

The two ladies are in a laughing fit. Eve lets go of Villanelle’s hands. Villanelle subtly scrunches her hands into the bottom of her suit jacket to wipe away her physical nervousness.

“What about the sprinkler?”

“Oh, Eve, everyone knows that one!”

“Go on, show me then!?”

“You first.”

Eve places her left hand on her head and her right in front of her, doing her best sprinkler impersonation.

Villanelle mimics Eve’s action and the two ladies bob their heads in unison. Villanelle closes her eyes and tries to forget that she is dancing in front of her crush. Eve can see that Villanelle is not an avid dancer, but appreciates that she is trying for her.

“Have you heard of the blow dryer?”

“No, what’s that?” Villanelle asks in a low-husky voice. _Damn,_ that accent was doing things to Eve.

“This,” Eve places both her hands in Villanelle’s hair and begins to mess it up. Her soft, honey-blonde hair now sits in a funny frizzy mess.

_Cute_ , Eve thinks.

She blows the strands of hair out of her face “Oh, two can play at that game,” Villanelle’s wish of getting her fingers in Eve’s curls finally came true.

Eve laughs, “My hair won’t mess up like yours! It’s already an untamable mess!”

Villanelle’s face scrunches up, failing at all her attempts of messing Eve’s curls.

Villanelle pouts, “Your hair is too beautiful to tame.”

Her hands retreat from Eve’s hair. Suddenly, the air felt thick around them. The music in the venue suddenly sounding like white noise. Both ladies have taken subconscious steps towards one another, in each other’s orbit now. They can practically feel each other’s breath. Villanelle drops her gaze to Eve’s lips, and then locks into her eyes. The tension tangible.

There was nowhere for Eve to retaliate to. This is where she wanted to be.

Eve cannot breathe in.

_Kiss me_.

Villanelle leans in closer, foreheads now touching.

“Oksana!”

Eve and Villanelle break their stance and turn their attention to this person who had just deflected a potential second kiss moment.

“Nadia,” Villanelle greets, with a tinge of disappointment in her voice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact: my mum still has an aeorfit in her room, she uses it to hang her clothes.
> 
> Whilst writing this fic I rewatched Nick & Norah's and realised 80% of the plot revolved around accidentally bumping into your ex. 
> 
> The Sour Bears are a fictional band. 
> 
> Again, thank you for all the nice words !


	5. Are you done?

A moment ago, Villanelle was having fun with Eve on the dance floor and playing with her hair. The next moment all happens in a blur. Suddenly Nadia is there. Nadia has an arm around Villanelle. Nadia has her lips on Villanelle’s. Eve takes a step back.

Villanelle removes herself from Nadia.

_Ugh, why here. Why now?_

“Who’s your friend?” Nadia scans Eve up and down.

“This… this is Eve,” Eve has her lips as straight as a line. Her dark eyes jump from Villanelle to Nadia then back to Villanelle.

“Hi, I’m Nadia,” She grabs Eve and gives her a peck on the cheek.

Eve looked incredibly flushed.

“Oh, wait – you’re in that band,” Nadia points at Eve as she clicks her fingers trying to figure out what band she plays in, “the, the… the Assholes!”

Eve clears her throat, “It’s _Fistful_ of Assholes. And we’re not actually assholes.”

“Yeah… yeah you’re half decent…”

Eve clenched her jaw.

“What? You guys are like The Smiths, but without the Morrissey.”

Eve felt her pocket vibrate.

“I’m going to take this.”

Before Villanelle can figure out whether Eve has an actual call or faked a call to get out of the situation, she is already walking out the door.

_Shit_.

Nadia turns to Villanelle. “You didn’t return any of my calls last week… I was worried…” she links her arm inside Villanelle’s.

“Oh, I’ve just been busy with uni stuff… still figuring out my major.” She shrugs her shoulders.

“… because I’ve been trying to get a hold of you, we still need to _talk_.” Her big brown eyes yearned for Villanelle’s attention.

“Mmmm,” Villanelle had phased out of the conversation.

She was more concerned with what Eve was thinking. Villanelle knew that she had some explaining to do. If she would let her.

_Was Nadia always such a dick?_

“Ladies and gentlemen…” a MC-type person is up on the stage, unusual for a show – but not too unusual for a Tangfastic show, “we all know why you’re here tonight… so ARE YOU READY?” A few shy claps echo amongst the crowd, “I said ARE YOU READY!?” The crowd cheers louder, “give it up for… The Sour Bears!”

The entire crowd sighs as this non-Tangfastic band begin their set. Everyone in the crowd almost disappears out the door, _just like Eve._

“Ugh, the old bait and switch.” Villanelle pouts.

_Just my luck._

She was at the wrong venue. AND her crush is currently NOT with her. Plus she is stuck with her ex…

She wants to go and find Eve. _I must._

“What are you doing later tonight… apart from being beautiful? I have something I want you to hear…” Nadia places her hands on Villanelle’s hips. Villanelle quickly slinks out of her grip.

“Nadia, uh… you have fun ok… I really have to go.” Villanelle is pretty much running out at this point.

“Call me!” Nadia calls out to her.

~

Elena was in fact calling Eve.

“You couldn’t have called at a better time.”

Eve was ready to give that Nadia a piece of her mind.

“Uh… so we have some bad news.”

“What… did our gear get stolen?”

“Oh no… it’s just… your new friend’s friend, uh, Hugo… we sort of… uh… lost him…”

“You what! How do you lose a drunk, adult male in a van?” Eve starts chewing her thumb nail.

“Very easily, apparently. So we stopped by a kebab shop and when we got back he was gone…”

“You left him alone in the van!?” Eve tucks strands of hair behind her ears that is blowing onto her face.

“We thought he’d passed out by then… guess not.” Even at a time like this, Elena sounded incredibly calm.

“Ugh… so that means I have to go and talk to Villanelle then, right?”  
  
“Wait, why wouldn’t you talk to her. Isn’t she with you?” Before she responds, “Spill Eve!”

“Well… I thought we were having a good time, but then this other random girl shows up, starts kissing her and calling her Sara… or, no, wait, Oksana I think – so not only did she lie about her name but she potentially has a girlfriend?”

Eve palms her face.

“What did she say?”

“What did who say?”

“Villanelle. Eve… did you at least let her explain or did you leave a bitch on seen?”

  
  
“No… you called so it was the perfect time to… exeunt.”

“Go back in there, talk to her. I’m sure there’s a reasonable explanation!”

_There probably is a reasonable explanation_.

“Ugh,” Eve whines, “was liking someone always this miserable?”

“Yes. Please make up with her, so we can find her friend!”

Eve sighs, “Ugh, alright. Come and meet us at The Rosemount and we’ll go from there.” She pockets her phone.

Eve turns around to see Villanelle approaching her.

“Hey so –“ Eve is cut off by Villanelle.

“Ok, so what you saw back there. She is not my girlfriend. You do not have to worry. We dated a couple of years ago and since breaking up… we may have got back together a few times…” Eve can see Villanelle stammering, a tad anxious. “Long story short. She is not my girlfriend anymore.”

“Are you done?”

“Yeah…”

“I don’t care if she is your girlfriend,” Eve definitely had poor choice in words, “You can date whoever you want, it’s not my business… but what I was going to say, Elena called and bad news… they lost your friend Hugo, do you have any idea where he could be?”

Eve wished she had not said that. She does care, a little more than she should, about Villanelle. Sometimes what Eve says and means can be completely different to one another.

“What, for real?” Villanelle scoffs, “How do a group of adults lose a 130 pound drunk man?”

“I know right!” Eve laughs.

“Hmmm, I think I have an idea of where he could be…”

“Good, Bill and Elena are coming round to pick us up and search for him – sorry we’re going to miss the band.”

“Oh, it wasn’t them anyways. It was The Sour Bears.”

“Not the fucking Sour Bears, ugh… explains the sudden influx of people outside… hey, so… that woman in there, Nadia. She called you by a different name?” Eve places her hands in her jacket pockets.

“Ah… I was hoping you didn’t hear that.” Villanelle looked at the ground. Hiding her lopsided grin.

“Why not? Who are you, Villanelle?”

Eve’s dark eyes penetrate the soft eyes staring back.

Villanelle takes a moment to collect herself. She thought about whether or not Eve would look at her the same if she told her _the truth_. Would she still want Villanelle in the same way if she finally knew? She trusted Eve, but the night was still young. Eve is a musician, so it could get complicated. Villanelle wants to tell Eve everything. But, she was not ready – yet. She can tell her part of the truth though.

“So… I’m the niece of someone famous…”

“Really, who!?”

“My uncle…” Villanelle licks her lips, “… and my name is actually Oksana Astankova, believe it or not Villanelle is not my real name.”

“What, Villanelle isn’t your birth name? I’m shocked,” Eve fake gasps, “it’s pretty.”

“I’m glad I had you fooled,” she smiles, “wait, which do you think is pretty?” both her eyebrows are raised, eager for Eve’s response.

“Both?” Eve lifts her shoulders.

“Oh, well one’s from a perfume and the other is from my mother… you can decide which,”

Eve laughs.

Villanelle runs a hand through her soft wispy hair and adds, “I have trouble trusting people… especially after dating Nadia and with my previous line of work… it’s hard for me to let people in… but… but I want to let you in, Eve.”

Eve gets it. Her heart warms at the confession. She understands and wants to be consumed by Villanelle.

“I totally get it, you can tell me when you’re ready, Oksana.” Eve smiles at her and she looks away shyly. “Oh, what do you want me to call you by the way?”

“I’m happy with either… Maybe Oksana when it’s just us,” she winks at Eve. “Oh, I should try calling Hugo, right?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> #exdrama
> 
> switching povs. 
> 
> thanks for reading !


	6. To being weirdos

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> apologies in advance, this chapter is a tad longer. I wanted to add some sort of movie plot in there as well as some villaneve moments. 
> 
> hope y'all enjoy !

“He’s not answering his phone, typical,” Villanelle shoots him a quick text asking if he is ok.

“Where do you think he could be?” Eve clasps her hands together and blows on them, trying to generate some sort of heat.

Villanelle guides them both to sit at the curb as they wait for Bill and Elena.

“Usually, when he gets this drunk…” Villanelle checks her phone to see that it is 01:06am, “… and at this hour, he’ll be trying to get home… he also gets really paranoid and doesn’t trust his Uber app, so it’s likely he’s at the tube station.”

Eve stretches her legs in front of her and starts to bounce them.

Villanelle notices these signs of distress and takes off her oversized suit jacket. “Here.” Underneath she appears to be wearing a long sleeved blouse.

“No, it’s ok,” Villanelle ignores Eve’s pride and places the jacket over her shoulders.

“Aren’t you cold?” Eve, without hesitation does not try to refuse the jacket but rugs herself up in it. As she adjusts the jacket on herself, she gets a whiff of Villanelle’s perfume.

_She smells heavenly,_ Eve thinks. Hints of rose and santal.

“No, I’m usually running hot.”

_Yes you are_.

“Do you smoke?”

Villanelle shakes her head, “I tried it once, but didn’t like it.”

Eve feels up her own inner jacket pockets. “Jackpot.” Eve has found a single cigarette and a lighter in her pockets. “Bill usually gives me one after each show we do, it’s our weird tradition, and this one was from last week.”

“Hmm, so you wear the same clothes regularly?”

“Ok, don’t be grossed out by this… but I haven’t washed this jacket since I bought it…”

Silence.

“You’re grossed out right?”

“No, no… I mean, some people like to keep up their personal hygiene… others not so much,” Villanelle teases as she wears a huge grin on her face.

“You’re an ass. Ok, so I only wear this jacket to shows and I don’t know, I don’t wash it because I like to keep the night on them or something… it’s stupid… I’m weird, sorry.” Eve furrows her eyebrows, looking ahead.

“Normalcy is over rated anyways.”

Eve lights her cigarette in between her lips. “I raise my cigarette to that,” she blows out smoke in front of her. “To being weirdos,” she nudges the cigarette in Villanelle’s direction. Villanelle looks apprehensive, at first.

But to try and impress her crush, Villanelle slides the cigarette between her fingers and nonchalantly places it in her mouth. Trying to look as smooth as possible, but fails as her body almost rejects the smoke. She coughs, chokingly.

_How cute._ _Is she trying to impress me, again?_

“There, there,” Eve grabs the cigarette with her left hand and pats Villanelle’s back with her right.

BEEP, BEEP.

“Oi, get a room you two!” Bill shouts from the passenger seat.

Eve sticks her middle finger up at him.

“What Bill means is, get in the van, sluts.” Elena adds.

~

Eve and Villanelle are seated with all of Bill and Elena’s gear, whilst facing one another. The awkward guest, Kenny, is sitting up front with Bill and Elena.

“Are Tangfastic playing right now?” Kenny asks in his quiet voice.

“The boy makes a good point, I mean we don’t really even know this Hugo kid…” Bill pouts his lips. “Can we go in and see the Tangs and then start the search party?”

“Hey!” Villanelle shouts. “Aren’t you all supposed to be nurses?”

“We’re off duty,” Elena retorts.

“Don’t worry, they totally bait and switched us,” Eve replies, as she suddenly realizes she still has Villanelle’s jacket on. She places her arms into the sleeves.

“Ah shucks, we were so close! Again!” Bill slaps his thigh.

Elena pulls the van onto the main road. “Alright, so where are we headed?” She rolls the music levels down.

“London Bridge station,” Villanelle looks like she is holding on for dear life. There are no seatbelts at the back of Elena’s van. Villanelle thinks she is going to be crushed by a drum cymbal. She drapes her arm over Elena’s guitar amp.

Eve admires this sight. She thinks that when people are unaware of being watched, it is when they act like their most natural. Most _vulnerable._ Villanelle struggling to find her balance in this van was the exact definition of that. It was almost like a slapstick comedy playing out in front of her, she fully adored the woman.

“What are you staring at?” Villanelle felt Eve’s gaze on her.

“You. Are you ok?”

“Oh… and nooo! How are you sitting over there so calm? Is your life not flashing before you eyes as your friend drives us to an early grave?”

“Hey, I heard that!” Elena barks.

Eve takes a seat next to Villanelle and places a palm onto her soft cheek. “Hey, just close your eyes and breath.” Soft eyes meeting one another.

Villanelle listens to her crush and does as she is told.

Eve felt like her hand was lingering on her cheek for a second longer then it should, so she removes it and grabs onto her hand instead.

_Any excuse to hold her hand_. Their fingers interlock perfectly.

Eve glances to the front and sees Bill fully gawking at her.

Eve mouths, “ _shut up_.”

Villanelle is humming a tune.

Eve immediately recognizes it as ‘Dreams Tonite’ by one of her favourite bands, Alvvays. Eve hums along with her.

~

The five of them are running into the train station like as if they are part of law enforcement and know of a bomb that is located on the premises. Villanelle takes the lead and runs up to the transit officer sitting in the ticketing booth.

“Hi, have you seen a man, about 26, brunette, dressed real posh… kind of looks like a rat?” Villanelle describes.

The tired-looking man behind the counter looks up from his newspaper, “Was he real skinny too?”

Villanelle nods quickly.

“You would’ve just missed him,” the man points at the janitor mopping up the floor, “As you can see, he left something behind. He’d missed the last train, so he left in a hurry.”

Eve winces. She was a registered nurse who saw flesh being cut into on a daily basis. However, the sight and smell of vomit never sat well with her.

“Thanks,” Villanelle slaps the counter, “That’s a great clue actually, see with Hugo he tends to vomit in the same places…”

“What a disgusting way of leaving bread crumbs,” Elena adds.

“At least he’s nuanced,” Eve muses as Elena nods in agreement.

~

“We’ll just find a spot to park!” Elena yells out as Villanelle hops out of the van.

The 7-11 Villanelle enters has a shop clerk busy thawing away what looks like vomit from his freezer.

“Damn,” Villanelle stomps her foot on the ground. “Just missed him?”

The shop clerk shakes his head angrily, “Tell your friend he is not welcome here no more.”

_CLING-DONG_.

Villanelle turns around to see Niko enter. She pretends she did not see him and continues to walk into the store.

“Hey!” Niko shouts.

Villanelle walks further, ignoring him.

“Hey! What, did the hours of listening to music finally cause ear damage?”

Villanelle sighs and turns to him. She was done with the Niko drama for one night. It was bad enough seeing him for the designated two-hour slot on a weekly basis. Why should she spend her leisurely time with him?

“I saw you with _her_ before… what, do you actually like _her_ … or something?”

_Yes._

“Do you?”

Niko snorts, “Uh… yeah, I did date the woman for a year, remember?”

“Yeah… and you cheated on her, remember?”

“You didn’t tell her that, did you?”

“No, I didn’t. But I’m starting to think I should.” It upset Villanelle that she knew of information that would hurt Eve.

Niko had always been one to over share. During a study session with Hugo, Niko had discussed his two-timing ways openly. One of the many reasons why Villanelle despised the man. She had always felt sorrow for Eve. She deserved better. As much as she hated him, she did not want to interfere in their relationship. It was Niko’s responsibility to tell Eve. _Right?_

He had probably followed Eve and Villanelle since The Bird. Trying to decipher whether Villanelle had informed Eve of his cheating ways.

“You know, Eve may seem really cool on the outside, but on the inside she is a really sensitive person. She’s super emotional… and being with you won’t do her any good.” Niko sneered.

Villanelle gives him a pensive stare. “What?”

“Word on the street is you’re an emotionless robot, the way you churn through musicians, treating them like yesterdays garbage… you can’t even cry for Christ’s sake!”

There was a reason why Villanelle wanted to leave her previous job. It was a soul crushing job.

“I-I’m not mean…” Villanelle felt hurt, “I can… cry, I have emotions! I cry all the time!”

Villanelle cannot recall the last time she cried.

Niko looked at her in disbelief, “Sure…”

He answers his ringing phone.

“Hello… Hugo? What?!”

Villanelle’s eyes widen, “Wait, that’s Hugo?” _Why didn’t he call me?_ “Give me the phone!”

Niko reluctantly hands her the phone.

“HUGO! We’ve been trying to reach you for the last hour!”

“Villl! What’s up girl?” Even in his drunken state, he recognized her Russian accent almost instantaneously.

“Where are you? Are you ok?”

“I’m pre-good, I’m… I don’t know where I am…” Loud music can be heard thumping in the background.

“What do you see around you? Describe it to me?”

“Uh…” Hugo pauses, “… I see… a tree… some sort of religious building… argh… Vil, a shirtless man in a santa outfit is approaching me… hey…” The line goes dead.

“HUGO? Ugh.” Villanelle continues to exit the store.

Niko coughs, “Um… my phone?”

Villanelle gives the phone back. A disdainful glare is shared between the two.

“She’ll never be into you the way she was into me,” Niko yells out, wanting to get the last word in. Villanelle ignores him and hurries off.

~

“Is he alright?” Eve asks. Trying to resist the urge to grab onto her hand again. Eve could immediately tell that something was bothering her. But what?

Villanelle sits next to Eve, wanting to be as close to her as possible. “I think so… I didn’t really get much out of him…”

  
  
“What did he describe?” Elena, feeling slightly responsible for craving kebabs earlier.

“He said… a religious building… and a shirtless Santa was approaching him.”

“Oh! He must be at Connections! Right?” Bill interjects, “They have a Christmas themed event every month AND it’s opposite a church.”

“And you know this because…” Eve questions.

Connections is the local gay nightclub.

“I may have been there, once… or twice.”

Eve and Elena share glances with one another.

“Oh sod off, let’s go get your friend. We can worry about my sexual orientation later.”

~

“It’s raining men, hallelujah it’s raining men!”

A group of shirtless men are singing The Weather Girls classic on stage.

“We need to cover this track,” Elena says with a smile on her face, eyes unable to leave the men on the stage.

“It’s RAINING MEN!” Hugo jumps out, with a wreath on his head and half of his shirt unbuttoned.

“Hugo!”

“VILLANELLE!”

He spots Villanelle immediately and comes running towards her. Holding her in an embrace. “I’ve found religion. Religion has found me.”

“Dude, you’re so sweaty right now. You had all of us worried about you!” The hug was below satisfactory.

“Sorry,” Hugo shrugs his shoulders.

“Let’s go.”

As the group step outside, Hugo adds “You’re all not still looking for… Tangfastic are you?”

“Yeah, what’ve you heard?” Kenny asks, this boy was a real Tang fan. He would not admit it to anyone, but he has their band logo (a gummy bear) tattooed on his inner thigh.

“Some of the boys in there were saying that… that The Rosemount was a total flop and that there’s some sort of clue at… get this, Badlands Bar.” Hugo continues all the while chewing on his piece of gum.

Villanelle eyeballs Eve who is already looking at her, smiling. Bill and Elena high-five each other. Kenny internalizes his state of euphoria.

“I knew there was a reason why we met,” Villanelle smirks.

“You legend! Oh and sorry for losing you before,” Elena apologizes, rubbing Hugo’s shoulder.

“You lost me? There was so much talk of Connections… I thought that’s where you wanted me to meet you…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> #moreexdrama


	7. Are you asking me for my number?

Hugo had his head snug up against Villanelle’s shoulder, passed out. Eve watched on in awe.

Villanelle was hyper aware of Eve always staring at her. She liked the attention. It was like Eve was always trying to figure her out. No one had ever genuinely paid her that sort of attention without being aware of who her uncle is. Villanelle lives and breathes for Eve’s attention.

Elena was now driving everyone to Badlands Bar, which was roughly an eleven-minute drive from Connections.

“Hey,” Villanelle’s attention is on Eve, “If by some random chance we end up losing each other, like how we all thought we lost Hugo… how would I be able to get a hold of you?”

Eve speaks at a shockingly quick speed, “Well it depends on the situation, if you were with Bill and Elena you would ask them to contact…” Eve is an idiot. Villanelle widens her eyes.

Eve slows her talking pace down “… me, and I suddenly just realized… are you asking me for my number?” Eve uses both her hands to tuck her hair behind her ears, then lets her hands linger at her neck.

_Duh,_ Villanelle likes an idiot.

“Was I not clear enough?” Villanelle teases, “Here let me ask again, how would I contact you, Eve, say after a night of debauchery?” she wants to milk this, “Hmm… if there only was some sort of communicable device where I could… oh I don’t know, call and send cute cat pictures to?”

Eve cannot hide the huge grin on her face.

  
  
 _Please say yes_.

“Here’s my phone,” Eve hands her phone to Villanelle, “if that’s where this was going.”

Villanelle types her number into Eve’s phone at a rushed pace. Making sure to call herself before she hands Eve her phone.

“There, now you can call and ask how my day was.”

“What are you saving me under?”

Villanelle looks up from her phone, “Why, ‘Sexy Yugo Driver’ of course.” A huge grin, beaming from her lips, “Who am I on yours?”

“‘Random Girl Who Kissed Me.’”

Eve bites her inner cheek as Villanelle gives her the softest smile.

“So where would you have gone, if you were wasted?” Villanelle asks her.

Eve looks to the side, clearly thinking hard at her response. “I would probably go to Carolyn’s, hands down they have the best fried chicken in all of London.”

“Sounds greasy.”

“The greasiest. Picture the best orgasm you’ve ever had, then times that by 100. Eating there is like eating a home-cooked meal made especially for you by your mum…” no response from Villanelle, “You’ve never tried it?”

Villanelle shakes her head.

“Hey Elena, can we stop by Carolyn’s! I need some fried chicken.”

“Aye aye captain.”

_She’s sexy, AND likes greasy food._

“Where would you go?” Eve, now directing the question at Villanelle.

“Somewhere less greasy… hmm… I’m too scared to say my answer.”

“What! I told you about my greasy chicken place.”

Villanelle responds in a low husky voice “Ok, if you’re lucky I will take you there later.”

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

~

“Ok, I’ll be like five minutes.” Eve exits through the back of the van.

When a nurse says they will be five minutes, it never usually equates to five minutes.

“So…” Bill fills the silence. “… Now that Eve is gone.”

Elena turns around from her drivers seat, “Do you fancy Eve?”

Villanelle can feel her cheeks flush. Her eyes not making contact with anyone in the van. Instead she locks her eyes on Bill’s drum cymbal tipped over in the corner.

“That’s very forward of you.” Villanelle likes the directness of the question.

“We’re very forward thinkers… well?” Elena stares Villanelle down, who finally meets her glare.

_Well there’s no point in lying._

“Yeah, I like her… I like like her,” Villanelle nips at her bottom lip. She suddenly felt like she was back in high school talking about her latest crush.

“That’s sweet, isn’t that sweet guys?” Elena squeals.

“It’s lovely.” Kenny responds.

“And we know she is definitely into you! She hasn’t even mentioned Niko for at least two hours,” Bill shares.

“Ugh, don’t remind me of that wanker.” Elena scoffs.

“Not Niko fans?” Villanelle asks as she plays with the hair tie on her wrist.

Bill and Elena break into laughter.

“Oh, please,” Bill states.

Elena carries on, “We absolutely despise the man! He made Eve so miserable…” Villanelle’s heart aches at the thought of that. “He flaked on her sooo many times and whenever he apologized you could tell he was faking it. He is the absolute worst! Ugh, and remember that time he ‘forgot’ to take time off work and he and Eve were supposed to fly to America to visit her umma?”

Bill scoffs and adds, “Or that other time where he got wasted at our work Christmas party and started hitting on poor Jess?”

Elena sighs and shakes her head.

Bill glares at Villanelle, “We are definitely not fans of the man who made our Eve feel depressed for a month post breakup. She should’ve broken up with him before he had the chance to!”

Villanelle thought she was the only one who hated Niko. It is nice to know there were others out there. They hated him unabashedly, and they did not even know of his cheating ways. Villanelle admired Eve’s friends.

“Why didn’t she?” Villanelle muses.

Bill and Elena both exhale.

“I think she convinced herself that she loved him…” Elena says with anguish.

“… But I don’t think he loved her the way she loved him.” Bill somberly states.

“She has tunnel vision for that ridiculous moustached man…” Elena grimaces, “but on the bright side, tonight has probably been the first time in a long while where we’ve seen Eve actually have a good time.”

~

“Who wants some fried chicken?” Eve re-enters the van with a cardboard rectangular container in both hands. She hands a box to Elena and keeps one for her and Villanelle.

“Thanks babe,” Elena pries open her box of chicken.

“Ok, V – I wanted you to have the full Carolyn experience. So I got tenders, original recipe and some hot and spicy ones. Oh! And chips of course.” Eve plops herself down opposite her and begins to dig into the shoestring chips. “The sweet chilli mayo sauce is to die for!”

Eve bites into a tender and moans. “Mmm.”

Villanelle licks her lips. The sight of Eve being physically excited by the fast food sent a different sort of excitement throughout Villanelle’s body. She uses all of her self-control to fight back taking Eve then and there in the back of Elena’s van with all of Eve’s friends watching.

“Best fried chicken in London huh,” Villanelle picks up a hot and spicy to try and distract herself from the sexual fantasies playing out in her mind, “let’s see how accurate you are.” The flavour hit her quite intensely. It made her hungrier. Eve’s moaning response was definitely apt. By the fourth bite however, the spiciness got to her.

“Ahhh,” Villanelle audibly breathes, sticking her tongue out.

_Shit._

“What are you doing?” Eve shoves a handful of chips into her mouth.

Villanelle, embarrassed at her tolerance to spicy food, “Airing out my tongue.” She uses her hand to fan out her mouth.

Eve snickers, “You’re so vanilla.”

Villanelle gasps. A tad offended, “Hey, I can take spicy food. This is just temperature hot.”

“Whatever you say, white bread.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> whoa we're halfway there ! 
> 
> thanks again for reading !


	8. It almost seems too easy

Villanelle lead the way into Badlands Bar. Again, Eve is surprised to see the bouncer let Villanelle in without queuing up.

“Sorry,” Eve apologizes to the line of angry hipsters, who have probably waited more than thirty minutes to get in.

_Who is Oksana?_

Elena whispers to Eve, “Daymn, your girl has connections.” Impressed.

Bill agreed he would stay with Hugo in the van whilst Eve, Villanelle, Elena and Kenny searched for the gig location inside.

Elena tugs on Kenny’s arm, “We’re going to check out back.”

“Text me if you find anything,” Eve waves at her friend.

Eve and Villanelle smile at each other.

“What do you think the clue is?”

“Hmm, I’m thinking their band logo is etched somewhere…”

“I like the way you think, Oksana.”

Villanelle slides her hands in her pockets as she feels her cheeks warm at the sound of her name coming out of Eve’s mouth.

Eve’s hand hovers over Villanelle’s lower back as the two ladies make their way around the tight room. Villanelle can only just feel Eve’s touch, but it is enough to send waves of excitement throughout her body. Villanelle extends her arm behind her, allowing Eve to grab ahold of her if she pleases.

_Oh._

Eve immediately grabs onto her fingers. Now walking like they are elephants through the expansive crowd. Villanelle did not want to lose Eve in the crowd. This was her insurance.

It did not stop Villanelle from turning her head around every two seconds to see if Eve was there though. She could feel her, but she wanted to see her too. Villanelle was like Eve’s knight in a shiny business suit.

“Do you believe in guilty pleasures?!” Villanelle randomly asks.

“Hmm, not really.” Eve bites her lip, “You should own what you like, right?”

“Couldn’t agree more.” And there was that seductive Villanelle glare again.

“Ok I’m going to blurt this out now… It’s up to you if you still like me after I say this…”

Villanelle stops and turns to Eve. “What is it, Eve? You like to eat sixty-four slices of American cheese?”

“What!? No! Not that there’s anything wrong with that… unless you ate it all in one sitting, like Homer Simpson,” Eve laughs.

“Just checking…” Villanelle smirks, “…are you going to tell me now…?” A sense of impatience in her tone.

Eve pauses for dramatic effect, “I love Ariana Grande.”

Villanelle chuckles, “Eve, you are crazy if you didn’t think that I too am an ‘Arianator.’ That woman is unstoppable.”

It was amazing the amount of similarities the two ladies shared. Eve lit up every time she received a new piece of information about Villanelle. She could not wait to find out more about her. Villanelle was like a cup of honey & lemon tea, she was slowly but surely mending Eve’s wounded heart.

“So… should we try the bathroom?”

Villanelle nods.

“I actually just want to pee,” Eve lets out, awkwardly. Eyeballing their hands, still clasped together. “Kind of need my hand back…”

Villanelle slips out of their clasp. Quickly covering up her awkwardness by checking herself out in the mirror. “I’ll wait here.”

As Eve pees, she can see Villanelle through the tiniest crack of the toilet stall. Smiling as she watches the blonde re-tie her hair in a low loose bun.

Eve goes to flush the toilet and in her periphery she spots the gummy bear logo on her stall wall.

“No way.”

“You ok in there, Eve?”

Eve screams. Unable to hide her excitement any longer.

“What is it?”

Eve unlocks her stall, inviting Villanelle in.

“Look!”

Eve points at the gummy bear etching on the toilet stall wall. Villanelle rubs her finger over the lipstick drawing, which smudges on contact.

“Oh my god!”

Below the gummy bear reads, “ _Tune into 92.1.”_

The ladies are both screaming and jumping with pure ecstasy coursing through their veins.

Eve scurries past Villanelle out of the stall to wash her hands. Almost forgetting to, what with the clue and close proximity to Villanelle and all.

Villanelle smirks, “Wow, so you DO care about personal hygiene.”

“I am a nurse you know.”

“Pfft, a theatre nurse doesn’t count.”

~

The group reconvene at the van.

“So I guess all we have to do is listen to the radio for some sort of clue,” Eve is the last to climb into the van and shuts the door behind her.

“It almost seems too easy,” Elena sets her radio to the station.

“What’s that saying about candy and a baby?” Bill adds.

Hugo is snoring.

“I feel bad… maybe I should take him home,” Villanelle stares at him.

_She can’t leave now._

Eve would do just about anything to make Villanelle not leave.

“I can take him, us, in my Yugo?”

“You would?” Villanelle brightens.

“Yeah, of course. Elena can you drop us off at my Yugo?”

“On it.”

Eve messes up her curls and leans back. Taking in the sight of Villanelle staring back at her.

“You’re doing it again,” Villanelle smirks.

“Huh?”

“You know.”

Eve shrugs.

“Admit it, Eve. You like looking at me.”

_I do_.

Eve snorts, “What can I say, you’re easy on the eyes.”

Villanelle smiles innocently.

“Oh shit,” Elena stops the car suddenly.

“What?” Eve questions.

“Don’t look Eve,” Bill covers his own eyes at the sight.

Eve turns her body and looks out the window.

She almost has to do a double take, as she doubts her own vision.

_It’s him_.

_What is he doing here?_

“Uh… why is Niko sitting on my Yugo?” she subconsciously grabs at her neck.

Eve turns and spots a somber looking Villanelle.

_Fuck._

If it was one thing Niko was good for, it was bad timing.

Eve was at a crossroads.

_How long has he been waiting for me? Does he finally want to talk? Shit. Villanelle. Fuck. This is bullshit. He’s alone..._

Eve’s mind oscillated between Villanelle and Niko.

But she knew what she had to do.

“Um… I guess… I should… just go and deal with it?”

Eve can feel Bill and Elena’s glare without even looking at them. No matter what front her friend’s put on, deep down they understood Eve’s decision. Hours at work had been spent talking about this moment. The what if moment. When Eve should have been concentrating on the surgery she was scrubbed in for – her mind was thinking of Niko. Niko, Niko, Niko.

Villanelle silently focused her eyes at the ground in front of her.

“How will you get home,” Eve gave Villanelle a solemn stare.

“EVE!” Elena shouts.

“We’ll get home fine… Elena can still drop us off, right?” 

“… yeah,” Elena says unenthusiastically.

Villanelle clenches her jaw and starts stroking Hugo’s hair. Eve begins to climb out of the van.

Just as Eve pops out the back a low-husky voice sounds out.

“Eve…” her head appears in the van again, “It was nice meeting you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the ex-drama continues, sorry. 
> 
> whenever i do gigs, there's always way too many simpsons references - so i had to drop one in there. 
> 
> Ariana Grande supremacy.
> 
> thanks again for reading and leaving nice words, it means a lot !


	9. Where are you right now?

As the van drives off, Villanelle stares at Eve approaching Niko.

_Why did I let her go? I should’ve convinced her to stay._

She knew it was the right thing to do. Eve had been waiting to air things out with Niko, and who was she to stand in her way of that. As much as it hurt, she had to let her go.

Villanelle tries to fight the tears forming in her eyes. But there was no hope in pushing them back. She felt like shit. Tears streamed down from both her eyes. She smiled in response, realizing that she had proved Niko wrong and that she did _feel_ things.

Whenever Villanelle felt shitty, there was always one person who would make her feel better.

_Nadia._

Her fingers felt like they were on autopilot as they scrolled and clicked Nadia’s name.

“Hello.”

“Hey, Nadia.”

“Oksana!” she chirps.

“Where are you right now?”

Every time Villanelle had an argument with her uncle and his annoying daughter, Nadia was the first to hear about it. She found solace in venting out her frustrations to someone who would actually listen to her. It felt right in that moment to call her.

_Right?_

~

“Go… I’ll be fine… you do you,” Hugo half opens his eyes.

“Alright,” Villanelle nods and steps out of the van.

“Miss you already, dude,” Hugo smiles and waves, still lying on the floor of the van chewing on his piece of gum.

Elena rolls her window down.

“Thanks again for the lift. It was really nice meeting all of you – and seriously, thank you for agreeing to take Hugo home. Remember, no stopping for anything! Not even for a shirtless Hugh Jackman walking down the street. Ok?”

“Don’t worry, we promise not to get distracted this time,” Elena smiles.

“It was lovely meeting you, Villanelle,” Bill waves.

“Likewise… bye,” Villanelle walks into Ezra Pound.

Ezra Pound was the bar Nadia always ended up at this time of night. It was a dive bar that had a 24-hour kitchen and boujie cocktails. It was also dimly lit with a candle on each of the tables. It was the perfect place to go and disappear.

Nadia was seated with members of her band.

“Hey, there you are!” she hugs Villanelle. “So glad you’re here. You’re amazing. Your hair looks perfect tonight.”

Villanelle blushes at the compliments. She loved receiving compliments.

“Come sit with me,” she guides them over to their booth.

“Hey,” Nadia repeats.

“Hey,” Villanelle forces a smile.

“What happened to that asshole woman?”

“Oh, Eve?”

_Don’t remind me._

“Who is she? Do I have anything to worry about? Has someone stolen my Oksana’s attention?” Nadia places a hand over her heart.

“You don’t have to worry.”

Villanelle wishes it was Eve she was talking to.

“Ok, good,” Nadia’s hand lingers over Villanelle’s jaw. “Hey, I got you something.”

Villanelle’s eyes light up.

_A present!?_

Villanelle had money; she could buy herself anything she wanted. But that did not mean she did not like to receive presents from others.

“You didn’t have to get me anythi-“

Nadia reaches into her tote bag and hands Villanelle a CD.

“Oh.” There is utter disappointment in Villanelle’s response.

_Not this bullshit again_.

It was a CD. But not a mix CD.

Six months ago, Nadia had pulled a similar move. She had set up an elaborate romantic evening for the two of them. Dinner at an expensive restaurant and tickets to see a re-screen of ‘Before Sunrise’ (one of Villanelle’s favourite romantic comedies). But by the end of the night, instead of ending up back at Villanelle’s, Nadia had tried to palm off a usb to her claiming that her band had released a new record that her uncle would love to hear.

This was worse. No dinner or a movie. Just straight to the point.

“So, I’ve started up a new band. We’re called the stroganoff’s,” Nadia points at the CD, “… this new project goes back to my Russian roots and it just ties up everything I want to say about my culture and family.”

“Uh-huh,” Villanelle stares at the corny band cover art. Was her band really posing in huge fur coats and drinking vodka? It was oddly patriotic, in a weird hacky sort of way.

_What was she thinking?_

“So… do you like it?”

_I hate it._

“Mmm… mhmm,” Villanelle sucks in her lips.

“I’m so glad you like it! That means so much, Oksana. Thank you, thank you,” Nadia places her hand on Villanelle’s cheek, caressing her. “And um… do you think your uncle will like it?”

_Fucking bitch_.

Before Villanelle can respond, a waitress places the bill down on their table.

“Uh… what is this… nope, not paying…” Nadia looks at Villanelle, “Don’t they know who we are here? Can you go sort this out, please?”

“Yeah, sure,” Villanelle picks up the bill.

“Have I told you how amazing you are?”

The word ‘amazing’ had lost all meaning to Villanelle.

She approaches the waitress, “Oh, hey – you forgot to add the beef stroganoff, and four Daiquiri’s to the bill,” Villanelle points at the receipt.

At a place like this, a Daquiri cost three hundred pounds.

Villanelle leaves the bar with a smile spread across her face.

~

“I’ll grab a coffee and the pulled-pork pizza.” Villanelle closes her menu.

Comfort food is what Villanelle needed right now.

This is not the way she had pictured her evening/morning to go. She was meant to see Tangfastic and get the girl of her dreams. But nope.

Villanelle’s phone vibrates on the table.

‘Sexy Yugo Driver’ is calling.

Villanelle lights up seeing the name appear on her screen. But she is apprehensive towards answering the call. She just stares at her phone, thinking about the pros and cons of answering. But before she finally lands on the decision to hit the green accept, the buzzing stops.

_Shit. She’ll call back_.

Villanelle gets anxious when Eve does not call back.

She stares at Eve’s contact information for a bit and debates with herself if she should call her.

Moments later, Villanelle receives a text message.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i have no idea how much an expensive daiquiri costs in London, so suspend reality there. 
> 
> Eve's pov next chapter. 
> 
> thanks again for tuning in !


	10. Isn't this what you want?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those who have seen Nick & Norah's, you may have noticed we are approaching the chapter where Tris tries to seduce Nick via dancing by the river. Do. Not. Worry. I did not include that in this fic, and sorry for making you visualise Niko seductively dancing for Eve. 
> 
> Anywho, enjoy !

The air felt sterile against Eve’s cheeks. She coyly tucked her hair behind her ears as she took cautioned steps towards Niko.

His lips pressed into a smile. He slid off the hood of the Yugo.

“Eve.”

“Niko…” she takes a brief pause, “what are you doing here?”

“What does it look like I’m doing… waiting for you?”

It almost sounds too good to be true.

“Wait… weren’t you with someone earlier tonight?”

“Does it look like I’m with them now?” Niko looks around the vacant space between them. “Look, it’s late… would you mind giving me a lift?”

_We’re finally going to talk!_

Eve nods and unlocks her Yugo.

They stare at each other briefly as they place their seatbelts on.

~

Eve never thought Niko would sit in her Yugo again. The last time he was in her Yugo was when she picked him up from the city, almost two months ago. He was drunk. Excessively drunk. He said he had been catching up with his mates from Poland. But when she picked him up, he was standing there all alone with no mates in sight.

Eve gripped her steering wheel with both hands, thinking about how she should formulate her words.

“What are you thinking?” Whenever Niko asked that, it annoyed her. They had been together for a year, Eve expected him to at least learn and read some of her facial expressions by now.

“Um…” Eve bites back her words, she does not know how to express what she is feeling or thinking, “Nothing, just about our set earlier… what did you think of it.”

Niko scoffs, “Bill was a bit sloppier than usual and I think Elena forgot the lyrics to her own songs!”

_Ouch._

Could he not have just said ‘great set?’ Was that too much to ask for?

Eve awkwardly laughs, “… and me?”

“You were fine,” Niko places his hand on Eve’s thigh.

She jumps a little at the surprise touch.

“Who’s jacket is this? I don’t remember you owning a suit jacket?”

_Shit. Villanelle’s jacket_.

Eve owned a plentiful amount of business pants but never found the suit jackets to match. The one thing Niko was good at, pointing out Eve’s wardrobe.

“Oh… Villanelle’s.”

Niko laughs, “What are you two actually friends now?”

“Why, is there something wrong with who I’m friends with?”   
  


This triggered Eve. Niko never got along with Bill and Elena. She was very much aware of how he fervently made up excuses to not have group hangs with them.

“No, no… I just didn’t think you would be friends with rich, spoiled brats like her.”

That made Eve furious.

Eve pulls the car over.

“What!?”

They jolt forward at the sudden stop of the car.

“It’s true. Did she not tell you who her uncle is?”

It annoyed her that he knew something about Villanelle that she did not. So, she played along.

“No… I know…”

“Anyways… now that we’re stopped,” Niko unbuckles his seatbelt and lunges forward, crashing onto Eve’s lips.

“Mmm,” Eve slinks back a little, with Niko’s lips following hers. She quickly eases into the kiss. Reminiscent to how they used to kiss.

Eve felt all her emotions suddenly becoming clear. This is not what she wants. Every argument between herself and Niko ringed in her ear. Every time he had failed her simple expectations during their relationship, like promising to be on time for dinner with her father, having to travel to America alone because he forgot to take leave, or even just picking up her favourite record before it sells out.

Visions of Villanelle popped in her mind. Those hazel-green eyes always staring back at her, eagerly. The way she exuded with confidence, then fall into an awkward mess on the dance floor. Her soft, delicate hands squeezing hers tightly – thinking she was going to lose Eve in the crowd. Her tender pouty lips. Their kiss.

Eve’s mind had never been clearer.

Eve pulled away from Niko. Her hands at his chest.

“No.”

“What do you mean no? Isn’t this what you want?”

“Not anymore.”

Niko looks at her confused, “But all those mixes you left for me…”

“I think I was making those for someone else…”

“What? Eve?”

“Get out.”

“Huh?”

“I said get out! Get out, get out, get out!” Eve practically pushed Niko out of the car.

“What the fuck, Eve. You realize this is it right? You leave me here, that’s it. No more us.”

“There is no us.” Eve shuts the door and drives off.

Pure adrenaline surging through Eve’s veins.

Eve grins and pumps her fist in the air.

~

Eve drives back into the city. She felt as if a huge-moustached weight had been removed from her mind, body and soul. She was at ease.

Eve decides to pull the car over.

_I need to explain things to her_.

Her fingers hungrily search for ‘Random Girl Who Kissed Me’ on her phone. There is not an air of doubt in her mind, she phones her.

_“Sorry I am not here right now, I’m probably doing something cooler than you… leave a message if you want.”_

_Ugh_.

Eve smiles at Villanelle’s cocky voicemail.

She knew that she had to make it up to Villanelle for leaving her for that ridiculous moustached-man.

Eve tapped her fingers on her steering wheel.

She knew what she had to do.

Eve opened her Spotify app.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's been one too many times where I've forgotten the lyrics to my own song on stage, so i had to chuck that into this fic. 
> 
> Hooray for villaneve nation. 
> 
> Thanks again for reading and leaving your nice words (:


	11. I have a confession

_“I’m an idiot, sorry. x E”_

A second text comes through with a link to a Spotify playlist. Without a hint of hesitation, Villanelle peruses the playlist. A smile instantly reaching her eyes. Eve had made her her very own playlist. An apology playlist.

Villanelle immediately calls Eve.

“Hey.”

“Hi, Eve.”

“Did you like the… playlist?”

“I love it.”

“So, earlier tonight I met this really cool girl at a show. She made fun of my car, my personal hygiene and worst of all, she saw me run away with my ex. And now… I don’t know if she wants anything to do with me, because I’m an idiot…”

Villanelle rests her chin on her palm, “I can’t believe you left this woman, Eve! She sounds out of this world. But, please do go on with your description of her.”

“Well… she’s tall. She has nice, soft honey-blonde hair. High cheekbones, delicate skin, full red lips. Killer power suit… The only thing is… she is an ugly dancer.”

“Wait, Eve! You’re apologising incorrectly.”

The sound of Eve’s laughter is a heavenly chorus to Villanelle.

“Oh, shit. Sorry.”

“This girl you met, I can see her coming around,” Villanelle’s voice sounded lower and raspier over the phone.

“Really?”

“Yeah, see she has a soft spot for girls who make amazing playlists.”

Eve bites onto her bottom lip, “Are you still in the city?”

“Yeah, I’m at Theo’s pizza.”

“Don’t go anywhere, I’ll be there soon!”

After the call, Villanelle puts on her airpods and begins to stream the playlist.

~

Eve spots Villanelle immediately in the almost-empty pizza shop.

“What are you listening to?” Eve takes a seat next to her.

“Oh, this woman sent me a playlist earlier…” Villanelle takes off her airpods.

“Oh yeah,” Eve says coyly as she places her Soccer Mommy tote bag in her lap.

“Yeah, she stole my jacket earlier tonight – and now I think she’s trying to make up for it.”

“Oh,” Eve eyeballs the jacket Villanelle had lent her, unsure if she should keep it on or return it.

“It looks better on you…” Villanelle bites on a slice of pizza. “Keep it.”

“Aren’t you worried you won’t have a jacket to match your pants?”

“Well, this same woman who made this playlist seems to make business pants and casual attire work… so I think I’ll be fine.” Villanelle points to the pizza, “Please.”

Eve picks up a slice and just before she takes a bite, Villanelle interjects.

  
  
“Wait! You have to put the apple slices over it,” Villanelle scoops some slices onto Eve’s pizza. “There.”

“You’re so weird,” Eve bites into the pizza, “Mmm, the apple slices are great though.” She responds, mouth half-full.

“So… I have a confession.”

“Another one? Should I become a priest and start a monastery?” Eve takes another bite.

“Forgive me father Eve, for I have sinned.” Villanelle clasps her hands together in a prayer.

Eve places her hand onto Villanelle’s, trying to undo her hands in prayer, “Please stop. Surely what you’re about to tell me can’t be as weird as hoarding my mixes right?”

Villanelle smiles and rests her hands on her lap, “Well… so… the reason why I kissed you…” Eve is staring directly at her, eyes wide, “Niko really riled me up tonight, saying I was alone, AGAIN. And… I guess I wanted to show him that I wasn’t alone. I didn’t realise you and he had dated. I just thought you looked really pretty on stage… so…”

“I absolve you of your sins.”

Villanelle grins, “Thank you, father Eve. And hey, if it weren’t for him I wouldn’t have found the courage to approach you – which would have been a shame.”

“I also have a confession to make…”

“Oh, you do?”

Eve places a hand on her neck, “I saw you staring at me when I was on stage… I pretended I didn’t to Bill and Elena… But how could I not have seen you… I think if you had let me finish my gin and tonic… I probably would’ve said something to you… like commented on your suit or name drop a couple of bands that would make me look cool…”

Villanelle softly smiles. “Didn’t I blend in with the crowd?”

“It’s hard to when you’re the only one wearing a two-piece business suit.”

Villanelle gasps and raises her eyebrows, trying to feign a shocked expression.

Eve finishes her slice of pizza.

“So where is Niko?”

“I don’t know, I left him on the side of the road somewhere.”

“Oh,” Villanelle was not expecting that. “What happened?” She takes a sip of her coffee.

“I think what I needed was closure… When he broke up with me… it was all so sudden, he did it over the phone, oh and did I mention it was on our one year anniversary?”

“That jerk.”

“I remember making a reservation for the restaurant where we had our first date, I even bought a fancy dress and got him an anniversary gift…” A tear rolls down Eve’s cheek, “The way we left things… It just felt so… unfinished… I just… I needed that one last conversation with him to see if there was still something there…”

“And…”

“Well, I’m here.”

Villanelle widens her eyes, unsure if she follows what Eve is saying.

“I realised what me and Niko had is definitely over. And there’s a bigger idiot out there who I like.”

“Who?”

Villanelle knew the answer, she just wanted to hear it come out of Eve’s lips.

“You.”

~

The two ladies walk along the path outside.

“Can you believe it’s 4am?!” Villanelle checks her phone clock.

Eve shakes her head, “Where did the time go?”

“Eve, time flies when you’re having fun.”

“Well… some of it has been fun.”

“Which parts?”

Eve knew what Villanelle was fishing for. She will give Villanelle what she wants.

“The parts with you.”

Villanelle smiles at her crush. She suddenly felt a rush of guilt creep into her mind. She wants to tell Eve about Nadia.

“After you left… I saw Nadia.”

Eve crosses her arms. “What’s the story between you two?”

Villanelle was ready to tell Eve.

“She was my first and only girlfriend I’ve had. We started dating four years ago… but we broke up after a couple of months, then got back together here and there. Sort of like a friends with benefits-type thing.”

“What are the benefits?”

“Good question, I myself am unaware of them. Relationships are supposed to be give-and-take right? She was all take-take-take in the end… I mean, there were some good parts…” Villanelle trails off, keeping her focus on the cracks along the path, “On rare occasion she made me feel special... like I wasn’t _just_ my uncle’s niece…”

Eve stops and gazes at her. Unsure of how to respond. It became apparent to Eve that no one had ever truly cared for Villanelle. Eve wanted to fill that role.

Villanelle sucks in her cheeks and returns Eve’s gaze. Looking into Eve’s dark eyes gave her a sense of comfort. “Remember when I said I would take you to the place I go to when I’m wasted?”

“Yeah.”

“Want me to take you there?”

“Ok.” Eve shrugs her shoulders.

“I’m driving,” Villanelle extends her palm to Eve. Eve cautiously drops her keys into Villanelle’s hands.

“You’ll be gentle right?”

“Please, Eve. There’s nothing humanely possible that I can do to make that car any worse than it already is.”

Eve gasps dramatically.

“If you keep your mouth open that wide you might eat a fly.”

Eve bumps Villanelle’s shoulder with her own.

~

“You’re probably the first person I’ve let drive her…”

A car is indicating to get onto the road with a tire edging out.

Eve points and squeals, “Lookout!”

Villanelle swerves around the vehicle.

“Oh-my-god.”

“I had right of way.”

“My life just flashed before my eyes,” Eve is holding onto the roof handle.

“What did you see?”

“All the greasy chicken I’ve eaten this past year.”

Villanelle laughs, “Eve, you need a better diet.”

“Is that why you’re telling me to put fruit on my pizza?”

“Hey! That is a culinary masterpiece,” Villanelle does a chefs kiss.

Eve has her eyes closed, unable to watch Villanelle’s reckless driving.

Villanelle reaches out and grabs onto Eve’s hand. Eve squeezes her hand tightly.

“Eve, open your eyes. I’m about to wow you with my parking skills.”

“I can’t watch,” Eve covers her eyes with her free hand.

“Done,” Villanelle pulls the handbrake up. “Look.”

Eve slowly peers through her hand.

“Hmm… Not bad… but if I pulled out a spirit level right now the bubble would not be happy.”

“Oh, is that right?” Villanelle lets go of the handbrake and rather than moving the car in reverse the car revs forward. The Yugo face plants a street lamp.

Eve’s mouth is open, with no sound coming out.

“Oops,” Villanelle tries to lighten the mood.

“Yep… I think we’re pretty level now…”

~

“Where are we?” Eve asks.

“Ta-da,” Villanelle points at the sign in front of them.

“Vasiliev studios…” Eve places a finger on her chin as her mind takes a moment to connect the dots, “As in… Konstantin Vasiliev… Wait… is Konstantin your…”

Villanelle nods.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If anyone is interested, here's the playlist I made for this fic. Thought I'd try and make it canon with what Eve's apology playlist would look like: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5o4ShFs12c9PSQDstSTosZ
> 
> Again, thank you all for reading ! (we're so close to the end!)


	12. Shut up, kiss me, hold me tight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> all roads lead to the 12... 
> 
> the chapter name is a dead give away, enjoy ! ;)

“I can’t believe your uncle is Konstantin Vasiliev! The Jesus and Mary Chain… My Bloody Valentine… The Cure – have all recorded here. We’re standing where they have once stood! That’s…” Eve lifts her arms dramatically in the air, “that’s mind blowing.”

Eve felt like a primary school student on their first ever excursion to the zoo. She was savouring the sights and smells of the place. There was a lot to take in. It was her favourite studio and she had always wanted to record something here with her band.

Her fingers trailed along the framed vinyl records hung up on the wall. Eve tried to act cautiously, being mindful that the things she touched in this very room probably cost more than her apartment.

“This place was like my second home. I’d come here straight after school because my parents worked late. When I graduated I knew I wanted to work here, so uncle K told me to get a sound engineering degree and the job was mine. I worked here for four years before I realised that I hated it… I hated the hours, I hated taking my work home with me, I hated who I had become and… I hated working with musicians – they can be so… demanding.”

“Hey!”

Villanelle laughs, “… it made me dislike the one thing I loved most in this world, music. Listening to music. So I had to leave it.”

Eve nods. Understanding.

“Is that why you came up with the Villanelle persona?”

“It got to a point where I didn’t know if people were actually getting to know me for me or if they were just trying to use me to get to my uncle…”

“Hmm,” Eve stares at the image of Konstantin on the wall, “He is definitely an attractive man… And I do like a man with a bit of facial hair…” Villanelle raises an eyebrow, concern splayed across her face, “… But I think I’d still rather make out with you.”

Villanelle relaxes and laughs.

Eve’s mind suddenly rushed to the thought of Villanelle listening to her mix CDs, “Hey, you mentioned mix six was your favourite… why is that?”

“Hmm… There’s a line from a song that I really liked…” Villanelle looks to the ground, shyly. She leans on the PA mixing board.

“ _Floating through a dream_

_I never could make out the words you said_

_Sentences are bouncing back and forth inside my head.”_

Villanelle smiles.

Eve does not respond immediately, instead she curls the edges of her lips up.

“What?”

“I wrote that.”

“Really?” Villanelle’s eyes widen.

Eve nods.

“It’s beautiful. Beautiful and poetic.”

Eve’s cheeks felt warmer than usual. The padded walls of the room made it feel like they were the only two people living and breathing on this earth. A silence echoed between hitched breaths and complemented the growing tension between the two.

Villanelle was hyper aware that this was the first time they were truly alone together _._ She wanted to close the distance between them. She pushed herself off the PA mixing board she had been leaning on and took a few steps towards Eve. But before she had the chance to even get remotely close to her, Eve had skewed her attention to the 1963 sunburst Rickenbacker guitar sitting idly in the corner of the room.

Villanelle is not sure if Eve had averted her attention on purpose.

Eve gasps, “That’s what George Harrison played!”

Villanelle wants Eve’s attention to return to her. She has never felt hungrier for attention.

“Can I…” Eve points at the guitar.

Villanelle nods slowly, still unsure if Eve was acting oblivious to the obvious growing tension in the room. Eve picks up the guitar and places the strap around her shoulder.

“This feels amazing.”

Eve was definitely unaware of the growing tension felt by Villanelle. She was too overwhelmed by her surroundings to have picked up on it at this point in time.

So, Villanelle played along. “Do you want to go in there?” She points inside the studio.

“Really?” Eve whispers.

“Yeah,” She replies quietly.

Eve made her way into the studio. She picked up a set of headphones and looked back at Villanelle, who is now sitting behind a shield of glass with her own set of headphones. Villanelle’s stare pierces through Eve like a bullet running through flesh. Villanelle’s desire for Eve was written all over her face.

And that’s when Eve finally realises what Villanelle was hoping to do, or at least initiate, back in the PA room.

_Shit,_ Eve thinks. _I am an idiot._

“Want me to start playing something?”

Villanelle nods.

This was Eve’s chance.

Eve talk-sings into the microphone, “There’s a girl with an uncle who’s famous, she can’t take spicy food, she’s a bit of a mess. She crashed my car into a streetlight and I think she wants to kiss me. I think she still wants to kiss me...” Eve trails off, “I really want to kiss her.”

Villanelle’s voice buzzes through the headset, “I’m coming in.”

Eve removes her headphones and rests her arms across the guitar she is still wearing.

Eve’s heart races as she sees Villanelle only standing mere centimeters away. She clears her throat and places the guitar across the floor.

Now staring at one another. Either woman is too afraid to make the first move.

Villanelle shakily smiles as she pockets her hands. “So…”

Eve half smiles, unable to take her eyes off a nervous Villanelle.

“You said you… wanted to…” Villanelle is cut off by Eve, who has dove straight onto her lips hungrily and messily. Eve’s hands rested on her cheeks and neck while Villanelle’s found their way into Eve’s hair.

Villanelle responded by touching the tip of her tongue onto Eve’s. There was sucking, teeth, moaning and mouthy breaths. It was tantalising.

Villanelle guided Eve over to the mustard couch as they continue to kiss wildly. Villanelle takes off the jacket she had leant Eve and pulls on her hair lightly. Eve’s ankles hit the back of the couch and they both tumble onto it. They laugh into each other’s mouth, not wanting to let the other go. Bodies pressed against one another and only just fitting the length of the couch. Villanelle kicks off her Doc Martens.

“I thought you wanted me to keep your jacket,” Eve remarked with a smirk in between kisses. She slinks out of her denim jacket, revealing more of her smooth olive skin. 

“It looks better on the floor… like the rest of your clothes.” Villanelle eyes Eve’s chest. Eve’s hard nipples showed through her camisole. “Eve, I didn’t realise you weren’t wearing a bra the whole night.” Villanelle could not hide her huge grin.

“To quote Angel Olsen – ‘shut up, kiss me, hold me tight.’”

Their faces pressed against each other for hot, open-mouthed, tongue kisses.

Villanelle lifts her mouth from Eve’s briefly, taking a breath. “Or like The Drums song, ‘Kiss Me Again,’” Eve smiles, admiring the reference to the playlist she had sent earlier. She tugs on Villanelle’s blouse to pull Villanelle’s lips back onto hers.

Villanelle’s hand travels under Eve’s camisole and caresses her supple breast.

“Is this ok?” Villanelle says in an almost whisper, her voice crackling towards the end.

Eve closes her eyes and moans in response.

“I’ll take that as a yes.” Villanelle leaves soft, wet kisses along Eve’s neck. Trailing down to her collarbone.

Without saying another word, Eve unzips Villanelle’s pants. Her pants come off in one swift motion, making Eve gasp.

Their hands moved delicately across one another’s bodies. Exploring and memorising each other. Eve’s hands moved from Villanelle’s cheeks, to her sides and eventually to her ass, eliciting a loud moan. Eve can feel how wet Villanelle is through her underwear as she rests on Eve’s thigh.

Taking an increasingly firm grasp of Villanelle’s ass, Eve groaned, “I-I want you to fuck me.”

Those words coming from Eve almost broke Villanelle. She stared at Eve with her cat-like eyes for a moment, and let out a few hot breaths. Once she processed the request, Villanelle was more then eager to provide Eve with what she wants because it evidently was what Villanelle wanted.

Villanelle removed Eve’s clothing, starting with her burgundy RM Williams boots, business pants and lastly her underwear. Eve took off her camisole as Villanelle spread her legs.

Villanelle took a moment to scan Eve’s naked body. But did not let her gaze linger for as long as she would like, as she could tell Eve desperately wanted her. She pressed her lips to Eve’s inner thighs gently and caressed her hips. As her hand slowly moved closer to where Eve wanted her, she slid a finger in Eve’s already wet sex. Eve moaned loudly.

“Lucky we’re in a sound proof studio,” Villanelle remarked into Eve’s skin, as she trailed her lips from Eve’s thighs to her centre. She hovered over Eve’s clit for a moment, _teasing,_ then started licking in a circular motion. She was gentle and tender with Eve. She inserted another finger easily into her. Eve grabbed onto the side of the couch and closed her eyes.

“Fuck,” Eve was feeling all sorts of pleasures throughout her body.

Villanelle kept the pace slow as she focused on Eve’s clit, wanting to draw out this moment as long as possible. With her free hand, Villanelle reached up and grabbed onto Eve’s breast. Eve bucks her hips forward into Villanelle, wanting more. Eve pants, “Oksana.” Villanelle presses her tongue harder into Eve’s clit, changing to vertical strokes. She can feel how wet Eve is getting and decides to try and insert a third finger. With no resistance at all, her third finger slides in, provoking a louder more intense whine from Eve.

Eve was close. Villanelle was aware of this and wanted to give Eve everything. She quickened the speed of her fingers. _Those long, firm fingers._ Hitting Eve at all the right spots. Eve’s free hand grasped onto Villanelle’s soft hair.

“You’re so wet, Eve.”

_Fuck._

The sound of Villanelle’s raspy voice pushes Eve to the edge. Villanelle can feel all of Eve clenching around her fingers. Eve lets out a final moan as her body shudders at the release. This time it was more like a scream, similar to that of Bjork’s wild crooning. Villanelle continued to finger Eve even after she had come, pushing her towards a second, pulsating climax.

Villanelle rested her body next to Eve’s, both breathing heavily. “You’re so beautiful,” Villanelle tucks a strand of Eve’s curls behind her ear.

Eve turned to look at the woman dreamily gazing at her.

“I just realised half your clothes are still on,” Eve smirks.

“We’ll have to do something about that,” Villanelle sat up and peeled off her blouse, revealing a black-laced bra that matched her underwear. Eve’s dark eyes were as wide as a full moon as she absorbed the sight of Villanelle. Villanelle continued to unclasp her bra as Eve removed her underwear. Eve began to lightly kiss her soft heaving breasts, licking around her nipples. Her hands found their way into Villanelle’s hair, pulling at her hair tie to let her soft hair drape over her shoulders.

Eve had not felt this much rapture in her life. She wanted to give all of herself to this woman, she wanted to give this woman everything. In the midst of excitement, Eve murmured, “I want you to sit on my face.”

Villanelle thinks she may have misheard her, “You want me to what?”

Eve lied down on the couch and gently guided Villanelle’s hips towards her face.

“Oh,” Villanelle grins devilishly. She liked confident Eve and did not want to argue with her.

Eve began by dragging her tongue through Villanelle’s folds and simultaneously grabbed her ass. Villanelle reached for a nearby guitar stand to keep her balance as Eve began to insert her tongue into her. She pushed her tongue in as far as she could. _In and out._ Eventually, Eve’s tongue found it’s way to Villanelle’s clit. Licking, sucking and circling. Villanelle began to vigorously push her hips towards Eve’s mouth. Finding a rhythm in mere seconds. Both ladies were moaning.

“Shit, Eve. You’re so hot.”

Villanelle was embarrassingly close to coming. She tried to hold on for as long as she could. It was no use, seeing Eve this way made her incredibly wet. Eve continued to push her face more intensely onto Villanelle.

Her body trembled around Eve as she reached her climax.

Eve quickly pushed Villanelle back down onto the couch, topping her. She planted a hot, wet kiss on Villanelle’s lips and inserted two fingers into her. Villanelle immediately gasped and arched her back up. Eve planted kisses along her jawline and worked her way down to her neck.

Eve curls her fingers inside Villanelle. Playing her rhythmically, like her bass guitar.

Eve had reduced Villanelle to short breaths and raspy moans. “Fuck,” Villanelle pants as she grabs onto Eve’s hair.

Eve can feel her own excitement pooling at her centre. Villanelle nudges her smooth thigh to where Eve needs the pressure. Taking the hint, Eve begins to rub her sex on Villanelle’s thigh.

Villanelle pulls on Eve’s hair to get her mouth back on hers.

Eve lifts her face off Villanelle for a moment, “You’re so sexy,” She continues to hungrily kiss Villanelle. Biting onto Villanelle’s lower lip.

Eve matched her thrusts with the pace of her fingers. She slid her thumb over Villanelle’s clit, drawing circles around her.

Their bodies moved as one. They were both incredibly close. Their eyes followed each other, not wanting to look anywhere else. Their mouths were inches away, feeling hot breath.

“Eve, I-I-I’m coming.” She closes her eyes tightly. Eve watches her come undone.

Eve let out a loud guttural groan.

Villanelle’s thigh was covered in Eve as Eve’s fingers were covered in Villanelle’s warmth.

A small tear rolled down Villanelle’s cheek.

Eve rested down beside Villanelle. Villanelle lay on her side and subconsciously rested her arm and leg across Eve’s middle.

“Are you ok?” Eve softly asked as she thumbed the tear from Villanelle’s cheek.

Villanelle smiles and nods, embracing Eve’s touch. “I don’t know if saying this right after sex is incredibly corny but… I feel things when I’m with you.”

Eve tilts her head back and laughs, “That is incredibly corny… but I feel the same.” She presses her lips tenderly to Villanelle’s forehead.

~

Villanelle had rested her head in the nook of Eve’s neck. Enjoying Eve’s vanilla and almond oil moisturiser scent. Eve rested her cheek atop Villanelle’s head as her arm draped languidly against her lower back.

“Mmm, you smell nice,” Villanelle comments as her eyes remain closed. Her comfort levels had reached a new height.

“Thanks.”

“What is it called?”

“Sex by Oksana Astankova.”

“Oh, it suits you.”

Villanelle lightly traces her fingers across Eve’s abdomen.

“Also, you have a very nice body,” Villanelle hums.

“Stop, you’re making me blush,” Eve’s free hand cups her own cheek.

Villanelle lightly chuckles, “My new favourite hobby.” She squeezes her arm a little tighter around Eve’s waist and looks up at her. Planting a soft, chaste kiss against Eve’s already parted lips.

~

“Hey, I think that’s your phone,” Eve lazily remarked. “Cool ringtone by the way,” Villanelle’s ringtone was the Buffy The Vampire Slayer theme song.

Neither woman wanted to break this tender embrace. They were both content.

“Ugh, who would be calling at this hour,” Villanelle did not want to get up from her comfortable position. However, the incessant ringing was annoying her. Villanelle tiredly looked around the room, “Where even is my phone?”

Eve rested against her elbows, eyeballing how messily they had thrown each other’s clothing around the room.

“Random question, there’s no camera’s in here right?” Eve’s cheeks flush.

Villanelle laughs, “Don’t worry, my uncle is too paranoid to install cameras here. Something about not wanting other studios to see how he records artists… Wait, you thought cameras were a possibility… and you still wanted to have sex with me?” Villanelle raises her eyebrows, “ _tsk tsk._ You’re so naughty, Eve. _”_

Eve covered her face with her hands.

Villanelle eventually got up and looked behind the couch, “Eureka!” Villanelle picks up her phone to see two missed calls and a text from Hugo.

“How do you feel about seeing the Tangs right now?” Villanelle shows Eve the text message.

The text reads: “ _Found Tangs. Cum to Lucky Chan’s rn.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the lyrics Villanelle quotes are actually from an Alvvays song titled "Party Police" - for the purposes of this fic, lets just pretend Eve wrote them. 
> 
> i've never written smut before so I got my partner to help me out with parts of that haha. 
> 
> as always, thanks for reading !


	13. This is it

Villanelle called them an Uber, it was the least she could do seeing as she crashed Eve’s Yugo. Deeming her car more un-drivable than it had ever been.

The two ladies held each other’s hands in the backseat.

“Hey, what did you say you were studying again?”

“I didn’t… because I technically haven’t chosen my major yet…”

“Oh…” Eve bites her bottom lip.

“What?”

Ever since Villanelle had shown her Konstantin’s studio, her mind was thinking of all the possibilities out there for Villanelle.

“I’ve just been thinking…” Eve pauses, then smiles towards her, “… You would make a great music reviewer.”

_Hmm,_ Villanelle absorbs the thought for a moment.

_Journalism. Music journalism?_

_Yes._

Eve stammers on “… I mean, it could always be something you do on the side. Like how I’m a nurse but I play music on the weekends… and you would get to pick what you want to review… and be as complimentary or as scathing as you want… and all it would involve is listening to music… which is something you like to do anyways…” 

“You’re cute when you talk really fast.” Villanelle laughs, “I never thought of myself as a music journalist… but it’s something worth considering.”

Eve blushes at her comment.

“Would you still like me if I gave your band a one star rating?”

“Hey! … We’re at least a 1.5,” Eve laughs. “And yes, I would. I one hundred percent support whatever you want to do. I mean, you could become a chef, or – oh a fashion designer or something. Whatever you want.”

Villanelle brings up the corners of her mouth and kisses Eve’s hand.

“Can I ask you a personal question?”

Eve considers the question for a second, “Sure.” Responding without hesitation.

“Can I look at your Spotify playlists?”

Eve hands Villanelle her phone for the second time tonight.

The two ladies sit in silence as Villanelle peruses the playlists. Eve, anxious to know what Villanelle thinks of her playlists. A few “hmms,” “ahhs” and “mmms” from Villanelle every few seconds. A terrifyingly huge mouthy grin appeared on Villanelle’s face.

_We are musical soulmates._

“Oh god, you think I have shit music taste now, don’t you?” Eve rests her free hand on her temple.

“Nooo!” Villanelle shouts, startling the Uber driver. “The exact opposite actually… I swear you’re my musical soulmate…” she blurts out.

Eve looks over at her, a bit stunned.

“Too much?” _Shit._ Maybe it was only okay to say to Hugo.

Eve’s sullenness evoked palpitations in Villanelle.

_Come on, say something._

Villanelle, ready to jump in with a ‘ha-ha I was joking,’ until Eve decided to finally respond.

“You’re such a sap.”

Eve squeezes Villanelle’s hand tighter.

“You like a sap,” Villanelle says teasingly.

“Yeah, I guess I do.”

~

As they stepped out of their Uber, numerous groups of people were entering Lucky Chan’s.

Lucky Chan’s was a Laundromat/restaurant/bar in the city. There were three different levels for dining and a rooftop bar, which is where Tangfastic were going to perform.

With their hands still clasped together, they entered the premises and ran up the stairs. When they got to the roof they were immediately recognized by people they know.

“VILL!” Hugo yelps, “Dude, I’m never drinking again…” He hugs her tightly.

“Are you still chewing on that gum?” Villanelle stares at him.

Hugo shamefully nods.

Bill and Elena spot Eve.

“EVEEEE!” Elena yells out, hugging Eve.

“Didn’t think we’d see you here!” Bill shouts as he embraces Eve.

“Yeah, what ever happened with you and Niko?” Elena questioned, “How did you end up back with Villanelle?”

Eve cannot hide the smile on her face.

“Oksana? What are you doing?” Nadia appears.

“Eve, you ass!” Niko also approaches the group.

Suddenly it felt like they were starring in their very own telenovela. There was the love triangle (or quadrangle), a vague cheating storyline, and some jealous party that was about to destroy the happiness of the two main protagonists. Both serial storylines were now interlocking for a final denouement.

Nadia jumps in first.

“What, you leave me for this… this asshole?! Are you trying to make me look bad in front of everyone?”

Niko cuts in.

“You left me in the middle of nowhere, I had to walk all the way back into the city on my own!” Niko shouts.

Gemma stood idly behind Niko, “Uh-um, you weren’t technically alone…”

“Not now Gemma,” Niko fired back.

Cue Nadia. “What, are you telling me it’s over between us? You know you’ve said that to me before?”

“Are you really over me?” Niko interrogates.

“Come on, come here,” Nadia pulls Villanelle towards her. “You’re still going to give your uncle our CD, right?” Villanelle cannot muster up any words and darts her eyes around anxiously, “You know we worked super hard on it. And you promised.”

Eve can see how uncomfortable Villanelle is visibly becoming. A total contrast to how she was back at the studio. Eve steps in and gives Nadia a light push.

Eve had never in her life started or participated in a physical fight. It was not apart of her DNA to hurt anyone. It was practically her job description to not hurt others. But the sight of an uncomfortable Villanelle threw Eve’s belief system out the door. 

Nadia is taken aback, “Uh, this,” pointing between herself and Villanelle, “doesn’t concern you, ass.” Nadia shoves Eve, a little harder than Eve’s push.

“It’s Eve, by the way,” Eve shoves Nadia back.

Nadia blinks slowly as every party watched on in amusement. A few gasping sounds escaping Bill and Elena. At this point in the telenovela, it was definitely scripted that a fist was going to land in someone’s face. But who’s face would be at the receiving end of a fist?

“Oh, I see what’s happening here. You mess up your own relationship with this guy,” Nadia points at Niko, “so you think that gives you the right to run around town with somebody else’s woman?” Nadia inches towards Eve’s face. A slap, a hit or a spit was definitely coming Nadia’s way. Until…

“That’s it!”

Kenny emerges from behind Eve and head-butts Nadia. Immediately regretting his decision. “Ow! That fuckin’ hurt,” Bill and Elena hold onto Kenny. “Totally worth it.” He rubs his forehead, trying to alleviate some of the pain. Elena plants a kiss on his cheek.

“That was really cool,” Elena whispers to Kenny.

Nadia holds onto her nose as she grabs Villanelle with her other hand.

“Come with me,” Nadia pleads.

“Let’s go check out the band, yeah?” Niko calmly suggests to Eve.

In that instance, Eve and Villanelle’s eyes find each other. Everything around them suddenly became background noise. They exchanged knowing glances. They knew how this telenovela was going to end.

“You know what, I’m not your possession Nadia,” Villanelle slips out of her grasp and walks towards Eve.

“Like I said, it’s over, Niko,” Eve holds out her hand to which Villanelle firmly locks into.

As they walk away together the large crowd cheer as Tangfastic gather up their equipment on stage, ready to perform.

Niko yells out, “You know what, I hate your band! Oh, and I cheated on you anyways!”

Simultaneously, Nadia shouts, “That’s what dating Konstantin Vasiliev’s niece for four years gets me?!”

Eve and Villanelle make their way towards the exit, leaving the past behind them.

They had chosen each other and that was all that mattered.

~

The night sky faded away as the sun cascaded the cityscape.

Eve and Villanelle headed towards the train station entrance.

Villanelle stops and turns to Eve, “Are you sad we missed it?”

Eve pauses for a second and smiles, “No… this is it.”

Villanelle grins.

“Say, would you be my girlfriend for five minutes? I really want to kiss you, but I don’t know how to ask.”

“Come here,” Eve presses her lips firmly onto Villanelle’s.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoa, seriously can't believe we've made it to the end already! 
> 
> This fic was really fun to write and it really got me back into creative writing. I'm thinking of maybe turning this into a series and experimenting with different writing formats in the new year - so watch this space ! 
> 
> Thank you to everyone who read along, left comments and kudos! I do read all of your comments, i'm just poor at replying to them (sorry). 
> 
> p.s I'm also thinking of maybe doing some sort of tennis au in the future, because hey the AO is coming up haha. Or if you have any future fic ideas let me know !


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